


Take Me to Your Heaven

by Alaskan_Outsider



Category: Captain America (Movies), Captain America - All Media Types
Genre: 1940s, A/B/O, Alpha Steve Rogers, Alpha!Steve, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Angst, Angst and Feels, Artsy Steve, Awesome Howling Commandos, BAMF Bucky Barnes, Bucky is a cinnamon roll, Bucky just wants to fuck him, Eventual Smut, Fluff, Grinding, Gunshot Wounds, I am so proud of this, Jealousy, LITERALLY, M/M, Mating Bond, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Memory flashbacks, Minor Becca Barnes, Mutual Pining, Omega Bucky Barnes, Omega!Bucky, Period-Typical Racism, Period-Typical Sexism, Post-Serum Steve Rogers, Scenting, Sexual Frustration, Sexual Tension, Sexual thoughts, Steve Saves Bucky, Steve's gonna die of blue balls, Steve's trying to keep it in his pants, Stucky - Freeform, Super Soldier Serum (Marvel), The feels kill me, Timothy Dugan is a good bro, World War II, bucky loves steve, character injury, sexual daydreaming
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-08
Updated: 2021-01-23
Packaged: 2021-03-10 01:55:41
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 43,591
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27956510
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Alaskan_Outsider/pseuds/Alaskan_Outsider
Summary: Steve had something to prove. He had to prove that nature didn't make a mistake when he presented as an alpha. He had to prove that he could protect an omega. He had to prove that he was more than anyone had thought. Steve was a fighter. He was determined. He was going to find the love of his life and they would love him for him, not whatever body he possessed but for his spirit and personality.Little did Steve know that they would come in the form of an omega that smelled intensely of fresh baked cinnamon rolls.He didn't know that saving the 107th would lead him to the love of his life, that strapped to an experiment table in a dark room in that Hydra factory was an omega that he would die for.That was how he met Bucky Barnes.__________________Tags will be updated as story progresses.
Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes/Steve Rogers
Comments: 85
Kudos: 245





	1. I Wanna Be Everything I Promised

**Author's Note:**

> Wassup homies! 
> 
> I am so proud of this fic you have no idea. This has been the most motivated I have been in a long time! 
> 
> Shout out to GhostifiedFlower for giving me the prompt! I am so glad I joined the Stucky discord server and met you! You are awesome and I am so glad to be able to bring your idea to existence! You are amazing! 
> 
> The title of this fic comes from the song Good For It by Vérité
> 
> Without further ado, I give you the first chapter!

When Steve presented as an alpha everyone he knew was shocked. People said that it was impossible, that nature had made a mistake. He was too small, too frail, too skinny. They’d said he would never find an omega who would accept him because he’d never be able to protect them. They didn’t care about his determination and resilience. They only cared about his size.

He vowed that day that he’d prove them wrong. That he would be everything an omega wanted and more. Not only would he be able to protect them, but he’d also be the most amazing and caring partner he could be. He’d take care of them with every fiber in his being.

It was that promise that had him in fights with other kids at school; it was that promise that had given him the strength to live through every ailment that hit him; it was that promise that kept him alive when he’d lost his mother, the only person who ever believed in him; and it was that promise that made him volunteer to be a science experiment.

He was going to prove them all wrong. He was going to find an omega who loved him if it was the last thing he did. 

While on tour selling war bonds, he’d met plenty of available omegas - they practically threw themselves at him - but none of them were interested in  _ him _ . They just wanted the persona, the Captain. He knew it was going to be like that when he had climbed into that chamber so he was more than prepared for it. If an omega looked him up and down before looking him in the eye, he knew what they were after and politely dismissed them. This caused a bit of tension with the dancers at first, but they eventually got over it. At one point they’d even started asking him for help with running off alphas who tried to get too handsy with them.

Feeling like he had something to prove is how Steve found himself in the back of a Hydra truck with his flimsy shield in his hand headed to infiltrate a factory and rescue a platoon of men that Colonel Phillips had declared too dangerous to go after. The 107th Infantry Regiment had been deemed unrescuable and Steve didn’t like it. It was the military’s duty to watch over its soldiers just as it was the soldier's duty to fight for their country and its military. If nobody else was going after them then he had to. It was his perfect opportunity to prove himself or die trying.

Once he got through the gate, the infiltration was pretty simple. He put all of his super soldier alpha strength into knocking out the guard that opened the flap on the back of the truck and climbed out quietly before making his way over to the maze of unattended tanks and vehicles. He climbed up one of the abandoned tanks and onto the roof of one of the building’s add-ons, running down it and towards one the main building.

Silently creeping forward, he made his way to a locked door and glanced inside. One guard stood at least ten feet away, facing out towards the factory room and a gun tight in his grip. Steve knocked, stepping to the side behind the door and waited. When the door opened and the guard stuck his head in, he slammed it closed on his head before pulling it open again and punching him in the face, knocking him out. He dragged the guard into the hallway and stepped through the doorway, shutting it gently.

Using large equipment for cover, he snuck his way through the busy factory. The distant shouting of hydra soldiers reminded him of just how dangerous what he was doing actually was. If he made one wrong move or knocked something over, he’d have the whole place on him in seconds. His heart hammered in his chest as he slid between two large bomb-like objects, a table full of blue glowing gadgets taking his focus. He carefully made his way over to it, picking up what looked like a clip full of glowing blue bullets before sliding it into his pocket.

He’d give them to Stark when he got back to base. It’d be good to know what they were up against when it came to the Nazi’s advanced research in weaponry. Perhaps, if he managed to free the 107th, they’d also be helpful in their escape.

Steve took a moment to look around, seeing a guard escorting a man in an American military uniform along a catwalk to the right above him towards an unmarked door. He assumed he was taking the man back to his cell; the prisoner looked like he was going to pass out from exhaustion. Steve licked his lips, running his hand through his hair while searching for a way up there. If he could get to the prisoners he could get them out. If there were enough of them, they could overrun the guards and get as many as possible out alive. He just needed to get them out.

Seeing a ladder a few yards away, he slowly made his way towards it and peeked around one of the bombs to make sure there were no guards that would see him. He was in the clear, so he quietly ran over to the ladder and climbed it as fast as he could. The guard walked through the door with the man and Steve hurried to shove the bottom part of his shield into the opening before it could seal shut.

Steve pulled the door open gently and silently slipped inside. He could hear the prisoners mumbling below him, the dim light making it almost impossible for the average eye to see but thanks to the super soldier serum he could see perfectly fine. A few feet in front of him was a guard, obviously on patrol, his back was turned to Steve. Taking the opening, Steve grabbed the guard, knocking him out, and throwing him onto the ground above one of the cells. He grabbed the keys from the guard’s belt, standing up to look around and make sure that there were no other guards that he may have alerted with the noise.

“Who you s’posed to be?” A voice asked from below him. He looked down to see the prisoners in the cell looking up at him.

“I’m…” He huffed, “Captain America.”

“I beg your pardon?” Another voice from the cell asked, but Steve had already walked away. 

Steve looked over the railing of the catwalk. The drop between the catwalk and the floor that held the cells wasn’t that far. He’d jumped from farther heights during his time on the road, so he knew it wouldn’t hurt at all if he just jumped down instead of finding a ladder. Swinging his legs over the railing, he braced himself for impact and landed with a soft thump. He moved quickly, running over to the first cell he could and using the stolen keys to open it before proceeding onto the next. 

By the time Steve had managed to get the last cell open, all of the man had convened around him. An alpha man with a bushy red mustache stepped forward out of the last cell, looking down his nose at a Japanese beta man. He narrowed his eyes slightly.

“What are we takin’ everybody?” The man asked.

The beta man rolled his eyes, pulling his dog tags out from under his shirt, his scent flared with annoyance as he stepped forward into the alpha’s space. “I’m from Fresno, Ace.”

“Is there anybody else?” Steve asked, stepping between the two men, knowing just how temperamental an alpha could get when challenged and the beta was definitely challenging him. He kept walking forward headed for the door. An alpha came up beside him and the rest of the prisoners followed close behind.

“There’s an isolation ward in the factory, but no one's ever come back from it.” The alpha replied, it was the same polite English voice that hadn’t understood him before.

“Alright. They might have some important information stashed over there. I’ll head that way. The tree line is Northwest 80 yards past the gate. Get out fast and give them hell.” Steve commanded, “I’ll meet you guys in the clearing with anybody else I find.”

“Wait!” A black man called, his scent signaling that he was a beta, “You know what you’re doin?” 

“Yeah.” Steve lied through his teeth. What else could he say?  _ No, I’m just a performer who deserted to save your guys’ asses. Even my rank is pointless. _ That would not have gone over well. He needed the men to trust him. If they didn’t trust him this could all go to hell in a hand basket. “I’ve knocked out Adolf Hitler over 200 times.” 

He left the men with that, sprinting as fast as he could to the door and out into the factory. He hid behind one of the bombs again, scanning the walls for more doors that might lead somewhere. He found one just a bit farther down from the one to the prison cells on the same catwalk as before and climbed up there once again. Using the keys he had stolen, he opened the door and made his way into an abandoned hallway.

The sound of shouting could be heard outside followed by rapid gunfire. The men had made it out of the building, now he just had to get any important information he could and get the hell out before he got captured or killed. Gun fire changed to loud explosions and Steve just hoped that they were coming from a weapon that the prisoners had hijacked and not Hydra wiping them all out.

The hallway he was in exited to a room full of equipment, a small platoon of Hydra soldiers stood between him and the door on the other side. Steve lifted his shield as one ran at him, blocking the man’s punch and pushing his arm away. The man lost his footing, falling forward, and Steve took that moment to punch the guy in the back of the neck and throw him to the ground. More soldiers ran at him, but he simply bashed them with his shield, causing them to fly back and hit things with enough force to either knock them out or snap their spines depending on how they landed. The last one ran at him and Steve lifted his foot, kicking the soldier square in the chest. He hit the ground, his head hitting a ledge on the way down. 

Steve didn’t stop to check if he was alive, using the adrenaline rush to push him faster as he ran through the door. It led onto another catwalk overlooking another part of the factory and Steve kicked the guard waiting for him over the railing before pulling out his pistol. They already knew he was here now, there was no use trying to be stealthy. 

Running through the only available door at the end of the catwalk, Steve was met with yet another hallway. He walked down it slowly now, looking around for a doorway or anything that would lead him to a place where he could find some sort of information. A doorway up ahead spilled light out into the dark hallway. A small squirrelly man with coke bottle glasses, who Steve could smell was an omega even from where he was standing, rushed out of the opening. He looked at Steve with fear, stumbling backward a bit before turning and rushing away. 

There was no way that man was a soldier. The only other possible option was that he was a scientist or he was the one pulling the strings. Either way, there was probably important information in that room he had just abandoned. 

Steve was at the edge of the light when he smelled it. An intoxicating scent of fresh baked bread and cinnamon. His alpha instincts purred. He’d never smelled something so delicious or so enticing. The scent was so strong he was pretty sure that whatever omega it belonged to was surely in heat. He closed his eyes, taking deep breaths through his mouth in order to clear his mind. He didn’t want to do anything he’d regret and his dick was already aching at the scent alone. He kept breathing through his mouth as he entered the room, terrified that if he breathed in that intoxicating scent again he’d jump whatever person sat helpless inside.

Whoever was inside let out a pained groan. “Sergeant. 32557038.” The omega mumbled. 

Steve recognized it as his rank and serial number. The soldier was resisting interrogation the way they had been trained to do in basic. Steve’s mind flashed to the strength of the man’s scent and wondered if the omega was in heat. Maybe this was their torture, strapping down an omega in heat so they couldn’t take care of themselves, forcing them to give up information or die of heat sickness. He ran to the omega’s side looking down at him.

“Hey, buddy.” Steve said, tapping the man’s right cheek to try and wake him up. He wasn’t responding, but his eyes were wide open. “Oh my god.” Steve gasped, reaching down to tear open the straps that bound the man.

The man’s head rolled to look at him as Steve tore off the strap over his chest. “Is… Isit… it over?” The man mumbled, his words slurring together.

“You’re gonna be alright, pal.” Steve assured him.

“Alpha?” the man mumbled, “Alpha.” The man squirmed a little where he lay, gasping as Steve helped him off the experiment table.

“Yeah, That’s right. Alpha. I’ll protect you. Come on.”

The omega leaned on him, rubbing his scent glands against Steve’s shoulder. He was scenting him. The omega was scenting him. Steve clenched his jaw and held his breath. The omega was so close to him that Steve could almost taste the sweet cinnamon bread that made up his scent. The alpha inside of him wanted to pin the man down and rub all over him until all that was left was Steve’s woodsy, sandalwood scent. He wanted to bite into the omega’s exposed shoulder. 

The man was clearly running on instinct and Steve couldn’t tell if it was heat sickness or just the pain forcing his subconscious omega brain forward and his human brain back. Steve didn’t want to breathe in to check for the scent of arousal or slick, knowing he’d lose all control if he did. 

The man pulled back, looking up at Steve with those clear crystal blue eyes before stepping back quickly. He’d regained his senses and Steve thanked the lord for it. He didn’t think he’d be able to handle the omega man that close to him the entire way out of the building. Steve figured it was the scenting that did it, his alpha scent calming the man’s inner omega enough for his human consciousness to push its way through.

“Who are you?” The man asked, staring Steve straight in the eye. 

A little piece of Steve’s heart jumped at the fact that the man didn’t check him out first. He was the first omega to look at Steve and not rake their eyes over his new body. “I’m Captain Steve Rogers. Also known as Captain America, but we don’t have the time for that. We gotta get the hell out of here.” Another explosion sounded and Steve looked around the room. His eyes connected with a map. He studied it for a second making a mental note of where the Hydra bases were located before grabbing the man by the upper arm and pulling him towards the door. “Come on.”

The man limped forward and Steve ducked down a bit to let the omega throw his arm over his shoulder. He continued to breath through his mouth as his alpha instincts kicked in screaming for him to protect the injured and distressed omega. He needed to get this man out alive and that’s all that mattered.

* * *

By the time Steve and the man had met up with the soldiers in the clearing, the omega had collapsed from exhaustion so Steve was forced to carry him. They entered the camp with the soldier passed out in Steve’s arms, his hands loosely clasped behind Steve’s neck. Steve thanked god once again for his enhancements, knowing that any normal alpha would have collapsed under the man’s dead weight let - alone Steve’s former smaller self. A group of men rushed to them as soon as Steve made his presence known, gathering around him.

“He needs medical attention.” Steve told them, but refused to let the omega go. His alpha instincts to protect him were still on high alert. There was no way he was going to let the omega out of his sight. At least not until the man had managed to wake up.

“We thought for sure you were dead.” the Black beta man who had asked if he knew what he was doing before said in shock.

The Englishman gestured to the man in Steve’s arms.“I absolutely thought he was.” 

“You know him?” Steve asked.

“Yes. He was in my cell. He was just coming down from his heat when they dragged him away. It was a miracle the other alphas and I managed to keep our heads while he went through it. Although, it seems his scent hasn’t gone down. I don’t smell any arousal or fresh slick so there’s no reason why his scent is so strong.”

Steve was grateful for the new information, but still refused to breathe through his nose in the omega’s presence “What’s his name?” Steve asked the man

“Sergeant James Buchanan Barnes, but he insisted we call him Bucky.”

Steve was slightly shocked by the title. It was only four years ago that they had made it legal for an omega man to join the military. He didn’t expect them to allow one to climb in the ranks. Omega women were still technically banned from service - Peggy, the only omega woman who he’d met that was associated with the military in some other way than taking messages or grabbing coffee, had found a loophole by joining an intelligence agency - and because of that fact Steve figured that they wouldn’t allow an omega man to climb the ranks. Steve made sure not to show his shock though. He didn’t need these men getting the idea that he was anything but open minded.

“And your name?” Steve asked.

“James Montgomery Falsworth, but my cellmates have taken to calling me Monty.” 

“Who are your cellmates?”

Monty pointed to the Black man, “Gabriel Jones. We call him Gabe.” The man waved and Monty moved on pointing at a scruffy man with a barret tucked into his suspenders of his tattered clothing. “Jacques Dernier. Frenchie.” The Frenchman gave a curt nod. “And finally, Timothy Dugan, Dum Dum. Who I’m surprised stayed quiet this long.”

“I’m just waiting for the Cap to put Buck down. We can’t get him medical attention with him held in your white knuckled grip.” The man by the name of Dugan cut in.

“I’m Jim Morita, by the way. I was in the cell next to theirs.” The Japanese beta man from earlier said. He was the last of the group of men that didn’t have a name after the short introductions. 

“Nice to meet you all.” Steve replied before looking directly at Dugan, “If you give me a safer place to put him down than on the forest floor then I’d be happy to.” He was lying. He would not be happy to set the omega down at all. The alpha part of him wanted to rip open his own chest and shove the omega inside, protect him from any more harm, never to let him go again. He couldn’t though. The omega wasn’t his and that fact destroyed him. In such a short span of time, he’d grown strangely attached.

Dernier said something in French, chucking his thumb over his shoulder. 

“He says that some guys managed to steal a supply truck over there. There were some medical supplies. They got wounded loaded into it for when we start movement back to our base.” Gabe said.

“You speak French?” Steve asked, slightly surprised.

“Yeah. And a bit of German too.”

“Alright. You stick by his side because I’m sure he’s the only Frenchman here and nobody is gonna understand a single thing he says without you.” Steve commanded, sliding into his captain role easily.

“Yes, sir.” Gabe said, saluting. 

“Show me where the truck is.” Steve told Dernier and the man turned on his heel, leading Steve towards it silently.

They made it to the truck quickly and Steve set Bucky down on the edge of the open bed gently. A little whimper left the man as Steve pulled his hands from his neck. The man’s left hand latched onto the pocket of Steve’s worn leather jacket as he tried to step away and Steve found himself moving just far enough for the men in the truck bed with the stolen first aid supplies to get access to him, but not far enough to break the omega’s hold. If any of the men had anything to say about it, they didn’t speak. 

Steve took a moment to take something that resembled a deep breath, but instead it was a short and sharp intake through his nose and a loud sigh through his mouth. Even that little bit was a bad idea as the omega’s scent was still too intoxicating. Steve held back a groan by pushing his lips into a tight line to make it look like he was thinking.

“So what’s your orders, Captain?” Morita asked, looking up at him expectantly.

Steve paused for a moment, surprised that they were looking to him for command. He didn’t have the heart to tell them that he was only given the rank for publicity purposes and had no idea what he was doing. He took a minute to actually think. “Getting the wounded loaded up was a good idea. We got at least two days' walk ahead of us until we can make it back to allied territory. Take stock of any rations or supplies you find in the trucks, we’re gonna need to make them stretch that long. Gather all the able bodied men and let ’em know they'll be walking. Only wounded will be riding in the truck except for an assigned driver and three soldiers assigned to each of those tanks. I want you five leading up the front with me.”

“Yes, sir.” The men answered, breaking apart to do as they were told.

A groan from behind him drew Steve’s attention and he turned to Bucky. The omega’s eyes were scrunched up in pain, his grip on Steve’s jacket tightening as he pulled Steve a little bit closer. The alpha moved, feeling as though he was powerless to the omega’s demands. Steve was dangerous to Bucky because Bucky was dangerous for Steve. His scent was too strong and Steve could hardly stand it. The only thing keeping him from claiming the man in front of him was the people surrounding them and his ironclad will, but even iron could chip if hit hard enough.

Steve closed his eyes, trying to force his will to let him pull away from the omega. He may be hurt, but there were other alphas who could protect him now. He wasn’t in danger anymore. He wasn’t Steve’s omega to watch over. It didn’t work though. His alpha instincts were too strong with all the adrenaline left over from the escape in pumping through his veins.

He opened his eyes, staring down at the man before him. It wasn’t just the scent that had Steve’s mouth watering and blood running hot. Bucky was a beautiful man. He had a strong jaw and plump lips that looked so soft Steve might actually pass out if they ever touched him. His body was built and muscular - something you don’t see in many omegas since their secondary gender normally leaves them soft - and his thighs were thick. Steve bit his lip, wondering what they’d feel like wrapped around his head in a crushing vice grip as Steve went down on him. He shook the thought out of his mind, looking back up to the man’s face. The man had some of the longest, prettiest eyelashes Steve had ever seen and they brushed his cheeks when his eyes were closed, but right now the man’s eyes were open and displaying their crystal blue.

Steve jumped, his mind finally connecting with his thoughts as he realized that the man was no longer unconscious. “Hey, you feeling alright?” He asked, trying to recover from being caught checking the omega out.

“I feel like shit.” Bucky rasped, “I feel like I got hit by a truck.”

“Anybody got some water?” Steve called around. A man lifted a canteen and threw it at him and he caught it, twisting the lid off and handing it to Bucky. Steve realized the omega still hadn’t let go of Steve’s jacket pocket as the man took it from him with his right hand.

Bucky took a large gulp, sitting up slightly so he wouldn’t choke. He smiled at Steve, handing the canteen back. “Thanks for saving me back there.”

“Don’t mention it.” Steve replied. He wanted to say something stupid like _Anything for an omega with a scent as sweet as yours_ , but he managed to hold it back and not embarrass himself beyond repair. “I’m Captain Rogers.” Steve said, clearing his throat and taking a step back. The action caused the omega’s grip on his pocket to jerk slightly.

Bucky’s eyes widened slightly and he snatched his hand back. Steve watched as the omega’s cheeks grew red as he tried to look unaffected about the fact that he was clinging to Steve. It was adorable, but Steve didn’t dare say it out loud. This omega was a Sergeant. He’d probably worked very hard to gain that title and Steve knew that meant he probably wouldn’t take lightly to being called cute.

“So, what’s your orders, Sir?” Bucky asked as he attempted to sit up. 

Steve wanted to reach out and stop him, tell him that it didn’t matter what Steve’s orders were because Bucky was going to stay in that truck with the wounded. He didn’t though. Instead, he watched as Bucky sat up completely, grunting as he moved to dangle his legs off the end of the truck bed. He stopped there though, not making a move to jump down.

“We’re gathering supplies and taking count at the moment. We’ve got at least a two day walk ahead of us. All able-bodied soldiers will be walking and the wounded will be staying in the trucks.” Steve told him, stepping back farther after noticing that his hips were practically wedged between Bucky’s thighs. He cleared his throat, pretending to survey their makeshift camp. “I don’t suppose I could convince you to ride in the trucks? You are injured after all.”

“You’re right to assume you can’t.” Bucky smirked, looking away from Steve’s face for the first time since he woke up. Steve expected the omega to rake his eyes over him as all the omegas he had met had, but instead the man looked out over the crowd. “I’ll be walking with my men.”

“There are a lot of different regiments here. Which are you a part of? Maybe I can find your men for you?” 

“I’m with the 107th. Sergeant James Barnes.”

Steve could see determination in the way Bucky set his brows and his blue eyes narrowed just slightly. It was almost as if he was prepared for Steve to call him a liar or tell him that it was a crime for a private to impersonate a commanding officer. Anger welled up in Steve’s chest at the thought of all the soldiers and military men who had probably done just that, but he forced it down.

He gave Bucky a curt nod. “Alright, Sergeant Barnes. We’ll find your men.”

Bucky looked slightly surprised by Steve’s easy acceptance of his rank, but didn’t say anything. Instead, he pushed himself off the truck bed to land on unsteady feet, gripping the hard metal edge to keep himself standing.

“I don’t mean to insult, but are you sure you can walk, Sergeant? You’ll be no use to your men if you die from exhaustion.”

“I’ll be fine.” Bucky huffed and as if to prove his point he let go of the ledge and took a slow step forward.

Steve’s arms ached to reach out and offer the omega a steadying hand, but he pushed the instinct down. He nodded at Bucky before walking towards the group of gathered men. He walked slower than necessary so he could be nearby if Bucky’s legs gave out and he had to catch him. 

Bucky scanned the crowd. With every step the man seemed to be growing stronger and soon the only evidence that he had ever been injured was when he would wince every once and awhile when he stepped down. Steve couldn’t help but feel in awe of the man. His strong determination could probably rival Steve’s own. He seemed like the kind who would rather die than give up. He wondered how long the scientist had had Bucky strapped to the table, how long Bucky had held out against whatever kinds of torture they had used.

“Where’s your platoon?” Bucky asked as he finished looking around.

“I don’t have one.”

“What?! You came alone?”

“Well…” Steve looked down at the ground before glancing through his lashes at Bucky, “Yeah. They decided that you fellas were unrescuable and I couldn’t let them just leave you there.”

Bucky’s eyes were wide as he came to a rapid halt. It was the first time Steve had seen the man allow his emotions be displayed completely. “So, not only did you come alone, you deserted to do it? Why?”

“They were gonna leave all of you here to die. What kind of man would that make me if I just stood by and let that happen?”

“It would make you a good soldier.”

“If that makes me a good soldier, I’d rather not be one.”

Bucky gave a small shake of his head, an expression of awed admiration on his face as he stared at him. Steve realized he liked that expression. It made his inner alpha preen at the idea that such an intoxicatingly sweet smelling and handsome omega seemed to admire him. Everything in him wanted to get down on his knees and practically beg the omega to mate with him, but he didn’t even really know the man. He couldn’t let his instincts override his rational thought, no matter how hard he wanted to slide between the man’s strong thighs and knot him. 

He shook his head, continuing his trek through the makeshift camp with Bucky close behind him. He needed to reign in his arousal before people could start smelling it or see the bulge in the front of his uniform. He silently thanked whatever god was in heaven that he had pulled on a pair of cargo pants before leaving to rescue the 107th. He’s sure if he hadn’t the whole camp including Bucky would know just what the omega was doing to him. 

Steve had never been this aroused by a single omega before. Sure, in his teen years when he had first presented, he was just as horny as any other newly presented alpha - the slightest whiff of an omega could turn him on - but this was different. This wasn’t puberty-driven lust. This was an instinctual need. It was almost like Steve was on the edge of going into rut, but he knew that wasn’t possible since he had already had his rut a week prior. His next rut wasn’t due for another three weeks. 

“Can I have the names for a few of your men? Maybe we can ask around?”

“I’m not sure how many were left by the time you got to us. I was in that room for a while. Two of them were in my cell though. Timothy Dugan and Gabe Jones.”

Steve turned to him, smiling. “I know exactly where to find them. They helped lead the charge out of the factory while I went looking for you.”

“You were looking for me?”

“Well… I was actually looking for any valuable information, but I was lucky enough to find you instead.”

Bucky smirked at him. “Lucky to find me?” 

Steve bit the inside of his cheek, stopping himself from telling Bucky that he was more than just lucky, he’d been blessed by god with the gift of finding the omega. “Yes, lucky. I would have been upset if I had left any men behind.” Steve said instead.

Bucky snorted.

Steve forced himself to roll his eyes before leading Bucky towards one of the tanks. A group of men gathered around it, Steve could see the red of Falsworth’s beret and Dugan’s bowler hat. He wondered if the man knew that bowler hats and helmets were not interchangeable. He shook the thought away figuring the man didn’t care. His mind defaulted to the omega behind him, acutely aware of Bucky and almost feeling the heat radiating off the omega’s skin.

The men seemed to notice their approach and Steve assumed it was Bucky’s strong scent that gave it away. They turned towards them both. Dugan’s face lit up with controlled happiness as he took a few steps forward before stopping completely. Steve wanted to bare his teeth at the overjoyed alpha and step in front to block Bucky from view, stake his claim, but he didn’t. Bucky wasn’t his omega no matter how much his instinctual brain wanted him to be. He seemed to hide it well, but Dugan still gave him a slight knowing look that nobody else seemed to notice.

“It’s good to see you’re alive, Sarg.” Dugan said, smiling at Bucky.

“It’s gonna take a hell of a lot more than that to kill me.” Bucky said, smirking wildly.

“How are you feeling?” Falsworth asked. His face was drawn up in concern and Bucky could see that the other alpha cared for the man, but didn’t feel threatened because it seemed purely platonic. “ Your heat was just ending before they took you.”

Bucky’s cheeks lit up like they were set on fire, but that was the only signal of the omega’s embarrassment, other than that his expression was completely professional. “I feel fine. A little sore. My heat stopped before they got me into the room.” Bucky’s eyes slid away from the men and he stared down at the forest floor like it was the most interesting thing he had ever seen. “Thanks again… for not um… touching me during it. And for givin’ me the blanket… it helped, but ya really didn’t have to do it. Ya musta been cold.”

“You  _ don’t _ gotta thank us.” Dugan huffed.

“We would never do such a thing. I believe I speak for Dugan, Dernier, and myself when I say that we could never live with ourselves if we had touched you without your consent.” Falsworth agreed and the other alphas nodded their heads.

“You wouldn’t have needed to because I would have killed you the moment I got control of myself.” Bucky smirked but his tone conveyed just how serious he was.

“And as for the blanket, you needed to cover yourself up. Besides, it had our scents on it since we had all been sharing it and an alpha’s scent has always been said to ward off heat sickness so it was the least we could do while you suffered.” Falsworth added.

Bucky gave a curt nod.

Steve watched the exchange quietly.

“Where’s Gabe?” Bucky asked.

“He’s helpin’ Frenchie take stock of the explosives that some o’ the men managed ta grab, per Cap’s orders.” Dugan answered.

Bucky looked over at Steve questionably. 

Steve was a Captain. He didn’t need to justify his orders to the Sergeant, but the piece of him that wanted Bucky’s approval screamed at him to do just that. “He’s the only one who speaks French in the camp. Nobody will be able to understand a single thing Dernier says if Gabe isn’t beside him.”

Bucky made an approving expression and Steve practically fell to the floor at his feet. Don’t get him wrong, Steve was an alpha through and through, but his need to take care of the omega gave Bucky all the power. The funny thing was that the omega man didn’t even know he had it the moment Steve smelled his scent - the moment he scented Steve in that torture room. The funny thing was that the omega man didn’t even know he had it.

Dugan glanced up at Steve once again as Bucky looked around the camp for Gabe or Dernier, and smirked at him. Dugan knew he was already powerless.

“Sergeant Barnes, I know you said your heat was over, but are you aware of how strong your scent has become?” Flasworth asked, drawing the man’s attention back to him.

“What?” Bucky asked, raising the scent gland on his wrist up to his nose and sniffing himself. His eyes went slightly wide. “Hell, I smell like I’m still at the peak of my heat.”

“Unfortunately, yes.” Flasworth nodded.

“How are any of you standing this?” 

“I’ve been only breathing through my mouth whenever you’re near.” Falsworth replied.

“Ya smell good pal, but I’m more interested in omegas of the female variety. Plus, ya know I’m bonded.” Dugan said bluntly.

Bucky looked to Steve.

“I’ve been breathing through my mouth as well. At first I thought it was just me. I have enhancements that give me a stronger sense of smell than the average alpha - some would say I have super senses - so I have been forced to hold my breath occasionally.” Steve told him.

Bucky took a large step to the side away from Steve putting distance between them. Steve knew he was trying to be considerate, but the alpha inside of him growled at it. His instinctual brain thought the omega was trying to run away from him.

“Super senses?” Falsworth asked.

“Until I know whether or not I have permission to share the details, I’m afraid it’s classified.”

“Understandable.” Falsworth said with a curt nod.

“As soon as Dernier is done we should get moving. Sun’s rising and we’re sitting ducks out here in daylight. The quicker we get moving the quicker we get to Allied soil.” Steve commanded.

“Yes, sir.” All of the men replied.

* * *

They marched for hours, Steve leading the convoy on foot with Bucky, Dugan, Morita, Gabe, Falsworth, and Dernier close behind him. Bucky had stumbled a few times, but one of the men managed to set him right. No matter how many times Steve suggested it the man still refused to get into one of the trucks. Steve considered making it an order, but he knew he wouldn’t do the same to an alpha or a beta so he kept his mouth shut. The last thing he wanted was for the omega to think that Steve thought he was weak.

They only stopped once for a short rest period, but Steve didn’t chance more than that and the men didn’t seem to mind. Hydra could be close on their tail and he wasn’t looking forward to a clash with them again as most of the men were not in fighting condition. Steve feared Hydra on their tail almost as much as he feared running into any Nazi camps that may lie ahead. Occasionally he would turn to Bucky - who he had learned was the highest ranking officer besides himself - and let him know that he was going to scout ahead before running off. He never did find anything, circling back to the convoy only after about thirty minutes each time for fear that Hydra had caught up with them in his absence.

When the sun went below the horizon, Steve had deemed it safe enough to stop once more, bringing the convoy to a halt and commanding that they set up camp. He gathered all of the able bodied men and split them into pairs. Each pair was given a time for their turn of night watch and a direction to watch from. No less than four pairs would be on watch each hour, one to the North, one to the South, one to the East, and one to the West. They needed to have all of their bases covered so they weren’t caught by surprise. 

Steve claimed the first watch, his brain too active for him to even attempt to sleep, and Dugan sighed since he was Steve’s partner. Steve told him that he was welcome to get something to eat before he joined him and headed off to their position to the South. Steve had chosen it specifically so that if Hydra caught up he’d be able to hear them. Bullets from the Nazi’s could be fixed for the most part, those bright blue beams of light that Hydra shot out could not.

Steve was sitting with his back against a tree, not wanting to waste his strength standing the whole hour if they were attacked, and stared out into the dense forest. It was eerily silent, but Steve assumed that’s what wars did to nature. The animals were probably too scared to make a noise or had long since run off.

He smelled him before he saw him, holding his breath as he turned his head to see Bucky approaching. The man smiled at him and took a seat against the tree next to Steve. If Steve reached out his arm to its full length, his fingers would brush the man’s shoulder.

“Dugan begged me to take his shift. I hope you don’t mind.” 

“He didn’t want to be my partner?” Steve asked, his eyebrows scrunching together.

“Nah. Dugan’s not much of a night owl. He likes the last shift of the night before everyone wakes up ‘cause he’s an early riser.”

Steve nodded in understanding. “If he had told me I would have assigned myself with someone else.”

“What? Not happy with my company?” Bucky inquired, quaking one of his eyebrows.

Steve rolled his eyes at the man’s teasing. “I don’t know ya well enough to decide if I like your company or not.”

“Good answer.” 

Steve laughed, leaning his head back against the tree and taking a deep breath through his mouth. He could see Bucky give him a small smile.

“I know you. At least I think I do. You look different now… bigger…” Bucky said quietly.

Steve’s head snapped to the man. How did Bucky know him? He was sure he would have remembered him if he’d ever seen him. He was too beautiful to forget. Steve would consider it a crime to meet such a beautiful omega and forget about him. “What?”

“You’re Steve Rogers, right? You were the skinny fella who used to pick fights and get his ass kicked in alleys. Your ma was that nurse, Sarah Rogers. The one who….”

Steve knew what Bucky meant when he trailed off. His entire neighborhood knew when his ma had gotten tuberculosis and all of Brooklyn knew when she died. She was one of the favorite nurses at the hospital. People always said she was the sweetest most caring omega they had ever met. They were right. She cared for others up until the moment she died, bringing water to the other patients in the quarantine ward until the day she could no longer move. Steve had visited her everyday, begging her to sit down, to get better, but she’d always look at him with a sad expression.  _ These people need my care, Steve. I’m the only thing they have left before they die.  _ She’d say right before assuring him she was going to be fine. She wasn’t fine.

“How’d you…”

“I lived down the block from you. We went to school together. My ma had instructed me and my sisters to stay away from you. She always said you were trouble.” Bucky chuckled, “She was even more shocked when you presented as an alpha.”

“That’s why we never met? I feel like I would have at least recognized your scent. I knew all the omegas whether I wanted to or not due to pesky puberty.”

Bucky threw his head back and laughed loudly. Steve stared at his bare neck, biting his lip before suddenly realizing that he was completely alone with the intoxicating man. His heart rate spiked at the thought. They were alone and Bucky was just within his range. He could reach out and feel the man’s skin, feel his warmth. He could say he’s cold, or that he didn’t want Bucky to get cold, and he could hold him. He could hold him and then, maybe, kiss him. Feel those soft lips against his own as they moved together in tandem, his tongue licking into Bucky’s mouth and tasting that cinnamon scent.

Steve grabbed the side of his left thigh where Bucky couldn’t see, pinching himself harshly and forcing himself to look away. He didn’t need those kinds of thoughts. They were supposed to keep watch and he couldn’t get distracted. He couldn’t keep thinking about how much he wanted to climb on top of Bucky and fuck him into the forest floor. He shifted a bit, trying to get comfortable with the erection that had developed from his filthy train of thought. 

It wasn’t like this when he had met Peggy. His body had never reacted to an omega like this. Some would try to blame it on Bucky’s intense scent, but Steve knew that, although it was incredibly arousing, it wasn’t just that. Steve had been on the road with omega dancers for months. He’d walked by their hotel room doors on his way to his own many times while some of them were in the height of their heats, but none of their scents had ever struck Steve as hard as Bucky’s.

“I presented late.” Bucky spoke, drawing Steve out of his self loathing, “Just after school ended. I come from a family of late bloomers.”

“Oh.” Steve said dumbly.

Bucky reached out his leg, knocking his army issued combat boot against Steve’s left leg. Steve looked back over to him before looking out in front of them and into the empty woods. He didn’t know what else to say besides that.

“Does the super senses thing have something to do with you not being so small anymore?” Bucky asked.

Steve looked at him, letting out a huff of breath. “Yes. But as I said earlier - “

“Can’t talk about it. I heard ya, Cap”

Steve rolled his eyes at the man.

“If it means anything. I liked ya better small. It made it more impressive when you got up into bullies’ faces and challenged them. For such a small guy, you sure as hell weren’t afraid of shit.”

Steve looked away, pretending to scan the trees but really he was hiding the blush on his face. Nobody had ever told him anything like that. Most people had told him that he was too small to be picking fights, that he should have kept his mouth shut and kept walking. Nobody had ever said that his stubbornness and inability to turn his back on injustice was anything but stupid. Nobody had ever told him he was better when he was small, not even Peggy. 

His heart began to beat faster in his chest. Bucky had no idea. He had no idea just how much power he held over Steve. He had no idea that that simple admission made Steve want to bond him more than anything in Steve’s life. Bucky was so oblivious to what he did to Steve. He had no idea.

Bucky ran a hand through his short hair, pulling it out and looking at the dirt and grim residue on his fingers. Steve couldn’t help but think that Bucky looked so enticing covered in dirt and dirty like that. Steve wanted to lick the sweat of the man’s body, he wanted to lick him clean. He wanted to grip thim by his short locks and tug his head to the side, littering kisses down his neck.

“Not that you don’t look impressive now.” Bucky shrugged, wiping his hand on his raggedy pants, “Just that the small guy was more.”

Steve swallowed the lump that had been growing in his throat. “It does mean something. Thanks.”

Bucky nodded silently, turning his head back to the empty forest in front of them. Bucky yawned, stretching his arms up over his head, the tattered rag that was his shirt rode up a bit at his hip. The omega’s back was arched and his head was leaning back against the tree behind him. Steve bit his lip to hold back a groan at the exposed piece of skin and the perfect curve of the man’s back. Bucky had to know what he was doing to Steve. He had to be doing this shit on purpose.

They sat in silence for a while, Steve trying to force down the need to crawl across the small space between them and shove his nose into the part of Bucky’s neck where it met his shoulder. He wanted to worship the man. 

“Watch is over, fellas.” Gabe said, interrupting Steve’s train of thought. Dernier stood beside him staring down at them.

It hadn’t felt like it’d been an hour since he’d sat down. It felt like it had only been minutes. Steve didn’t want that time to end. He didn’t want to give up the small quiet conversation with Bucky. He didn’t want to have to go to sleep.

Steve nodded, pushing himself up and offering his hand out to help Bucky up as well. Bucky took his hand gratefully and Steve realized it had been a bad idea. Having Bucky at a distance was fine, but now the warmth of Bucky’s hand was clasped in his own. Steve clenched his jaw, accidentally breathing through his nose since he had his mouth so tightly shut. The longer he was in such a close proximity to Bucky the worse it all got. 

Steve had to force himself back after Bucky had come to stand steadily on his own two feet, putting as much amount of space between himself and the man as possible without seeming odd. He gestured for Bucky to head back to camp in front of him with a soft smile. 

“Nothing happened. All quiet.” Steve told the two men taking over.

They nodded.

Steve gave them a curt nod in reply before following after Bucky who had for some reason stopped to wait for him. He followed the man at a safe distance as they walked back into the small camp, trying to keep his eyes off of Bucky’s ass as he did so. He really couldn’t be alone with this man again. He could already feel his ironclad will rusting away. It’s very possible that he’d have nothing left next time they were alone together and the thought scared him. 

Bucky was strong willed and determined. He was an omega, but he was also a Sergeant and a good soldier. He seemed a lot like Peggy from that standpoint and if Bucky was anything like Peggy then he and Steve could be no more than friends. If Bucky was anything like Peggy then there was no way in hell he’d want to bond with anyone, let alone Steve. He’d worked so hard to climb ranks in an army that saw omegas as weak and only good for raising children and cooking. If he bonded with Steve then the military would have to discharge him on grounds of him being a mated omega unless Steve agreed to allow his omega to be in harm's way. It wasn’t a problem really. Steve would give his permission easily - he’d rather have his omega in his sights where he could protect him than back home where he would only know how he was doing through letters - but that didn’t change the fact that it would take away a piece of Bucky’s freedom. Steve wouldn’t be able to live with himself if he did that.

They walked through the camp quietly - not wanting to wake up any of the exhausted soldiers that were catching sleep before their own respective shifts - before walking over to the place where Dugan, Falsworth, and Morita slept side by side. Bucky groaned, laying down on the ground by Morita and Steve looked down at him.

“I’d’ve remembered you, ya know.” Steve whispered to him, “If we had met back then, I’d’ve remembered you too.” He didn’t look at Bucky’s face and didn’t wait for his reply as he shuffled to the other side of the three sleeping men and took his place next to Dugan. It didn’t take long for sleep to overtake him then, his mind calm.

* * *

“Well, ain’t that the cutest shit you ever saw.” Dugan’s voice echoed through the hazy sleep that coated Steve’s mind, “I almost don’t wanna wake ‘em up.”

“I’m not doing it.” Falsworth’s voice huffed, “I like my knot where it is thank you.”

“Do you really think he’d rip your knot off?” Gabe’s voice replied.

Steve wanted to throw something at them. They were being too loud and Steve was comfortable and warm. He was warm and the heavy blanket on his chest was comforting. The weight made his sore muscles from yesterday feel like butter. He never liked weight on him while he slept, but for some reason this weight was perfect.

“Je crois qu’il se bouscule sur lui.” Dernier chimed in. 

“What’d he say?” Dugan chuckled.

“He said, ‘I think he’s drooling on him’.” Gabe answered, “Yeah, definitely some drool.”

“Just wake ‘em up.” Morita groaned.

Steve gave up sleep with a groan, losing his arms from around the weight on his chest and taking a deep breath. It all hit him at once. The comforting weight on his chest smelled of fresh baked cinnamon bread. It filled his lungs and cleared sleep from his mind quickly, filling it instead with want. He realized that during the night as Morita, Falsworth, and Dugan had gotten up for their guard shifts the space between him and Bucky had closed, mentally kicking himself for not thinking of it. Now Bucky was sleeping on top of him, his face shoved into Steve’s neck and he could feel little puffs of air brushing against the sensitive skin there every time the omega took a breath sending jolts of pleasure straight down to Steve’s cock.

His eyes flew open wide, their small group jumping back in surprise. He needed to get Bucky off him before he lost control, rolled them over and started placing little kisses down the side of Bucky’s neck. He needed to move.

Steve slowly moved out from underneath Bucky before scrambling back from the sleeping man. His heart was pounding and his instincts were screaming at him to go back. He cleared his throat and gained his composure before standing up. Dugan and Falsworth watched him with their eyebrows raised and identical smirks. He glared at them.

“You will say nothing.” He told them.

Dugan put his hands in the air, his smirk still plastered on his face. “Not a peep, Cap. Not a peep.”

“Your secret’s safe with us.” Falsworth said, lips in tights. Steve knew the man was holding back his laughter.

“Now that you’re up, Captain, should we get moving, the sun's only a knuckle above the horizon so it’s about six am.” Morita said, turning the conversation serious and drawing the attention away from Steve’s embarrassment.

“Is everyone in the camp up?” Steve asked.

“Everyone, but Buck.” Gabe replied, he kicked the sleeping omega’s foot with his own lightly. They watched as Bucky mumbled, rolling over and shoving his face into the dirt where Steve had once been laying. He let out a whimper, his hands going out to pat the empty space before he blinked his eyes open. “Oh, look. He’s up.” Gabe joked as if he didn’t expect Bucky to wake up from the kick.

“If everyone’s up, we should start walking. We should be able to get to base camp by mid-afternoon at this rate. We walked faster than I expected yesterday. You guys gather up the men and start walking. Sergeant Barnes will take the lead while I scout ahead to make sure our path is clear.” Steve commanded, looking around the group of men and then down to Bucky.

Bucky rubbed his left eye with the back of his hand, running his fingers through his hair before nodding sleepily. “I think I got enough sleep. I should be good for the rest of the walk. For some reason my body is a lot more relaxed than yesterday.” 

Dugan and Falsworth wiggled their eyebrows and Dernier pretended to look at something interesting in the sky. The alphas of their small subgroup were making fun of Steve for how they’d found them that morning. Steve only glared pointedly at them. If he were a lesser man he would have growled, but instead he just settled for a curt nod before walking away from them.

Steve did exactly as he had said, scouting ahead to make sure that their path was clear. The woods were silent as he crept through them, keeping himself low and using brush for cover as he went. If there were any Nazi troops ahead he didn’t want them to know about his presence until it was too late for them to react. He needed to get all the soldiers of the 107th back in one piece and in a way, he guessed that included him too. Their path was clear and Steve stopped a few miles ahead, deciding to wait for the convoy to catch up.

The wait was the hard part. His mind racing with all the possibilities of Hydra catching up and the men he’d sworn to keep safe ending up massacred. He fought the need to double back and meet the convoy, knowing that they’d reach him soon enough. He trusted them. They’d fought their way out of the factory, they’d be able to handle anything that hit them. Plus, they had Hydra tanks.

He was happy he had forced back his worry; the convoy made it to him completely unharmed. There was no reason for him to panic. He savored his last full breath before taking his place next to Bucky once again as they marched through the woods.

Every now and then he broke off just like the day before, scouting ahead and returning until he was met with a platoon of Allied soldiers during one of his scouts forward. They’d broken the frontline and were advancing into a town to the west and they let Steve know that they were only twenty minutes out from the base. He sighed an exhale of relief, thanking the soldiers before doubling back, and telling the news to Morita and telling the man to make his way back through the convoy and let everyone know. The man was quick to follow orders and Steve couldn’t help but think he was an excellent soldier. Steve could hear the collective sigh that left all of the soldiers as they got the news. They were twenty miles away from rest and a good meal - twenty miles away from the safety of Allied territory.

Steve smiled as they all approached the red and white striped bar that signaled the entrance into the base. Men were yelling and shouting, running towards the opening and coming to a stop just before it. The entire base seemed to be in shock as the gate lifted and they parted ways as Steve led the convoy of men straight down what seemed like a receiving line of soldiers and right up to the outside of Colonel Phillips’ tent.

He stopped there, taking a deep breath through his mouth as Colonel Phillips approached him. Anxiety created a ball in Steve’s chest, he was sure they were going to dismiss him. He’d deserted, gone against a direct order, and put both Howard and Peggy in danger by having them fly him in. That’s more than enough grounds for discharge. 

He lifted his arm in quick salute at the Colonel. “Some of these men need medical attention and we have more wounded in the trucks. We lost a few on the scuffle out, but all of the wounded from there are still alive. I’d like to surrender myself for disciplinary action.”

Steve felt the soft touch of a hand on his back and he instantly realized it was Bucky trying to comfort him. He wanted to turn to the man and smile, but now was not the time. He was possibly getting discharged and he couldn’t show his affection for his comrade to their commanding officer.

Colonel Phillips looked him in the eye before glancing away. He held his usual expression of distance, but it seemed different this time. It was almost like the other alpha was proud, but that couldn’t be right, Steve had disobeyed his direct order.

“That won’t be necessary.” 

Steve was shocked, but he didn’t let it show on his face. “Yes, sir.”

Colonel Phillips’ mouth turned up at one of the corners as he turned to look at Peggy. “Faith, huh?” He said before walking past him and back towards his tent. 

Bucky’s gentle grip squeezed a bit, but quickly dropped as Peggy stepped up to Steve. She had a small smile on her painted red lips as she looked up at him in disapproval. “You’re late.”

“Couldn’t call my ride.” Steve said innocently, holding up the broken communication device that had been shot during the struggle with Schmidt.

She looked down at the equipment, pursing her lips into a small amused smile before looking up at him. Steve knew he was in for it later. Peggy hated when things didn’t go to plan and as the only friend he had, she often got very angry when Steve was reckless. She wouldn’t care that it wasn’t his fault. He was late.

“Hey!” Bucky’s voice yelled. Steve made eye contact with the man and watched as Bucky’s eyes shifted from him to Peggy and back with an unreadable expression. He, too, seemed annoyed with him. That wasn’t good, he didn’t want to have his ass handed to him by two omegas. “Let’s hear it for Captain America!” He screamed.

The crowd erupted with applause, some of the men coming to clap Steve on the back in thanks. He never expected people to cheer for him for something other than his performance on stage and he definitely didn’t ever expect the 107th to cheer for him when he had been met with such disdain when he first arrived. Bucky stared directly at Steve as he clapped, making eye contact with him and smiling. 

Steve smiled widely back at the man before turning back to Peggy who was looking between the two with her eyebrows raised. He knew he had a lot of explaining to do and it was probably going to take forever for him to do it. She smiled at him, placing her hand on his shoulder. Steve took note that she didn’t seem to smell as good as when he had first met her. Even with her hand on his shoulder and the scent gland on her wrist near his face, all he could smell was fresh baked cinnamon bread.

As the crowd quieted down and people began to break off, Steve found himself still surrounded by the small group he had acquired, Bucky, and Peggy. Bucky was looking between him and Peggy once again with a displeased expression, but didn’t say anything, a smile sliding onto his face when he noticed Steve looking at him. Morita and Dugan nodded their heads at Peggy, before smiling at Steve and making their way past, leaving Falsworth, Dernier, Gabe, and Bucky with him and Peggy. 

“Agent Carter, This is James Montgomery Falsworth of the Third Independent Parachute Brigade in the British armed forces and Jacques Dernier, an explosives specialist with the French Resistance. I assume we should have a way to contact their command?”

“For Falsworth, yes.”

“Alright.” Steve nodded before turning to Gabe, “Take Dernier to get something to eat at the mess tent, you both deserve it.”

The man nodded, speaking to Dernier in French before grabbing his arm and pulling him in the direction of the mess hall tent. They both looked eager to eat.

Peggy looked over to Bucky, cocking an eyebrow at the omega man. “And who is this.”

“Sergeant James Buchanan Barnes, Ma’am.” Bucky answered politely offering out his hand to her.

Peggy shook it with a smile. “Pleasure to meet you, Sergeant Barnes. I had heard about there being an omega officer of rank, but I feared I would never be able to meet him.”

Bucky smiled at Peggy, but Steve couldn’t help but tell that it didn’t reach his eyes. Instead, those beautiful crystal blue eyes held carefully calculated suspicion. Steve tilted his head a bit in curiosity. He thought Peggy and Bucky might get along since they were both omegas in the armed forces and determined to show that they were both stronger than people assumed. He couldn’t quite understand why Bucky didn’t seem to like her.

“Well, you don’t gotta worry anymore. I guess.” Bucky replied.

Peggy gave him another warm smile. It seemed like Peggy was really trying, but Bucky was barely caring at all.

“Alright, Buck. You gotta get to a medic tent. I don’t care how good you feel, that’s an order. They need to make sure you’re okay.”  _ And hopefully find a way to make your scent a little less intoxicating before I knot in my fuckin’ pants.  _ He added inside his head. “Besides, I gotta debrief Peggy anyway.”

Bucky didn’t look happy, but he walked away as he was told. Steve didn’t miss the way he continually glanced back at the two of them though.

“You, sir, have a lot of explaining to do.” Peggy demanded, shoving a finger into Steve’s face with a disapproving scowl.

* * *

“So, you’re saying that you saved that omega and his strong scent has been making you sexually frustrated ever since.” Peggy asked.

Steve banging his head down on the desk in front of him. “Yes.” He groaned.

It was silent for a moment before the small tent that Steve was given echoed with Peggy’s laughter. The woman had thrown her head back before doubling over with her mirth. Steve didn’t get what was so funny. The blue balls he was suffering were not a funny subject. He was pretty positive he was about to die.

“Pe-g!” Steve whined, moving his head to look up at her but keeping his chin on the desk. His arms hung limply at his side in emotional exhaustion.

“I’m sorry.” Peggy huffed, but she didn’t stop laughing, “I really am, but this is just too comical. You’re a big strong alpha rescuing an omega in distress and you can’t have them even though you desperately want them. It’s funny because it’s like some stupid romance novel! Like the ones they sell to brainwash omegas into being weak and helpless.”

Steve let out a distressed noise in objection, slamming his forehead back into the table. “You don’t understand Peg! He smells like heaven and he said he liked me better small! Nobody liked me when I was small! And I can’t be alone with him. Everytime I’m alone with him…” Steve trailed off, too polite to discuss such filthy things in front of an omega. “I get urges.”

“Urges?” Peggy giggled, raising an eyebrow.

“Yeah. Strong, mind numbing urges!” 

“Oh, Captain Rogers. You are so gone and you barely know anything about him.”

“I know stuff about him!” Steve defended.

Peggy raised an eyebrow in challenge.

“I know he’s determined and stubborn. He’s got sisters. He’s from the same block as me in Brooklyn. He... “

Peggy tilted her ear towards him, shaking the head with an expectant smile and raised eyebrows. She wanted him to go on - was daring him to go on.

“He makes little whimpering noises in his sleep, but if you mentioned it when he was awake he’d stab you. He runs his hand through his hair when he’s thinking. When he wakes up in the morning he always rubs his hand against his left eye before opening both of them. He… He remembered me. He remembered me when I was small and he said he liked me better that way, that being small made me impressive.”

“Oh my.” Peggy sighed, sitting down slowly on Steve’s cot, “I’d be careful Steve. One might think you’re in love with the man if you keep talking like that.”

Steve groaned. “Not love…. Strong like? Strong attraction? I don’t know!”

“Well you had better figure it out. There's a very high chance that most of the men you rescued are getting medically discharged. He may be leaving sooner than you think.”

Steve let out a high pitched whine at the thought. He didn’t want Bucky to leave him. He didn’t want the omega to be sent back overseas and far away from him. He wanted to mate him. He wanted to sink his teeth into Bucky’s neck and claim him as his own.

“Oh hush.” Peggy sighed, “We’ve been given leave in London. All of your new friends will be coming with us. Unfortunately, there is still a bit of work to be done for you. You made yourself into a real soldier and now we need to get you outfitted like one. Stark will be meeting us there so buck up - no pun intended - and get ready to head out, soldier.” 

Steve groaned again, not lifting his head from his desk as she left the tent. Leave. He could use some leave. It could help him clear his head. It could help him relax a little more. He needed to relax. He hoped to god he could relax.

* * *

Shortly after arriving in London, Steve was pulled into meeting after meeting with upper command. They started with him forced to recall the entire mission rescuing the 107th over and over, and by the sixth time of repeating himself he was starting to get annoyed. The only fun part of the day came when Stark pulled him aside and began to outfit him with different things for the field, though he didn’t enjoy it when Peggy shot at him after that. It terrified him. Afterwards, they had him mark where each of the Hydra bases that he had seen on the map in the room they held Bucky in on a map of the western front. 

He told Colonel Phillips what Bucky had told him about the weapons being shipped somewhere else before following the man into a different room as he yelled orders. He had turned to Steve and asked him if he was willing to wipe Hydra from the map; Steve had agreed vehemently and requested a team of his choosing. Colonel Phillips tried to tell him that he was putting together a team, but Steve quickly opposed him, saying he knew just the men for the job.

That’s how he found himself standing outside  _ The Whip and Fiddle  _ pub staring at the door. To say he was nervous was an understatement. He was about to march inside and ask a group of men who had just escaped Hydra to go running full speed back towards it. It seemed like the worst idea, but at the same time, Steve couldn’t see himself doing it with anyone else. He trusted these men. They’d had his back.

He sighed, walking up the steps and pulling open the door to the busy pub. Steve could see the packed table that held Dugan, Gabe, Morita, Falsworth, and Dernier the moment he entered the room. They seemed to command everyone's attention as they laughed and joked with each other. They all smiled as they noticed him, lifting their beers in cheers and waving him over. Morita got up and pulled over another empty chair as Steve approached. Steve couldn’t help but notice Bucky wasn’t among them, but he decided he’d find the man later and ask him as well. As long as he found him in a populated place and not somewhere where they were alone.

Steve sat down in the chair, quickly squeezing Morita’s shoulder before letting go. “I have something important to ask you all.” Steve announced.

They all quieted giving him their full attention.

“You don’t have to say yes if you don’t feel comfortable doing this, but I’m putting together a team. There are more of the Hydra factories like the one I found you fellas in and I’m going to destroy them all and rescue anybody I can. I’d like for each of you to be a part of that team, if you wanted.”

“So let’s get this straight…” Dugan said after a moment of silence, setting down his beer with a thump and shaking his index finger at him.

“We barely got outta there alive and you want us to go back?” Gabe finished, his eyebrows raised.

Steve nodded his head slowly, his mouth open slightly and his eyebrows scrunched together in nervousness. “Pretty much.”

Falsworth adjusted the cuff of his sleeve, looking around the table. “‘T sounds rather... Fun actually.”

Morita nodded in agreement, letting out a burp. “I’m in.”

Dernier started saying something in rapid French growing more and more animated with every sentence. Everyone looked to Gabe for translation. Gabe and Dernier shared a short conversation before shaking hands as Dernier laughed.

Gabe looked around the table with a smile while everyone looked at him expectantly. “We’re in.” He said gesturing between himself and Dernier.

All that left was Dugan. Steve looked at him with a sly smile on his features. He already assumed he knew what the other alpha would say. All the other men had agreed, he didn’t expect Dugan to be the outlier when he seemed the most crazy out of the bunch. Besides Dernier, that is, although Steve wasn’t sure if Dernier was crazy or if the rapid French just made him seem so.

“Hell, I’ll always fight. But you gotta do one thing for me.” Dugan smiled, chugging his beer.

“What’s that?” Steve asked, already knowing he’d agree if it meant he had this man at his side.

Dugan set his glass down with a harsh thunk. “Open a tab.” He answered.

Steve laughed along with the rest of the men before standing up from the table and heading towards the bar with everyone’s empty glasses. He set them on the wooden counter, looking at the bartender with a smile. “Another round, please.”

“Where ‘re they putin’ all this stuff?” The barkeep demanded. Steve didn’t answer.

The sound of piano music filled the pub and Steve glanced around the room. Men began to sing in broken unison - notes being belted out of tune left and right though the song mysteriously sounded passable - and some alphas even began to pull omegas into their arms to dance in the crowded room. Steve smiled at it, his thoughts flashing to Bucky once more. 

This time Steve scanned the bar with more purpose, looking for the beautiful omega that held all of Steve’s control in his strong hands. He found him almost instantly, his eyes being drawn towards his figure. Bucky sat on a bar stool down the bar past an open divider that would have separated the two rooms. Steve smiled, taking the full pints of beer and setting them down on the gang’s table before proceeding over to Bucky.

“Yeah, he’s gone.” He vaguely heard Dugan joke behind him, but he didn’t justify the man with a reaction. 

Steve made eye contact with the omega as he approached him, giving him a small wave. Bucky smiled that charming smile that Steve had come to adore and patted the seat to his left. Steve took the invitation and sat gently.

Bucky looked over to him, his smile sliding into a smirk. “You asked ’em to follow you back into battle didn’t ya?” 

Steve gave him his best winning smile.

“They're all idiots.” Bucky laughed taking a sip from the scotch glass in his hand. 

Steve laughed, watching the man swallow down his drink and forcing his eyes away from the part of the omega’s neck that was bared while he drank from the glass. Even in the low light of the bar Bucky Barnes was the most alluring omega Steve had ever laid eyes on. He followed Bucky’s tongue with his eyes as it poked out to lick up the last few drops of the alcohol that sat on his lips. He wanted to lean forward an lick them for him.

“How about you?” Steve asked, forcing his voice not to come out as breathless as Steve felt, “You ready to follow  _ Captain America  _ into the jaws of death?”

“Hell no.” Bucky scoffed.

Steve felt his heart sputter. Bucky didn’t want to come with them. Bucky didn’t want to fight along Steve’s side. Steve didn’t know what to think about it. He’d grown so attached to the omega since he had rescued him from Hydra and he didn’t want to think about what it would be like to not have him at least within walking distance. He wanted to whine and beg Busky to stay with him, but he couldn’t do that. He had no idea what kind of torture Bucky had suffered inside that room and he had no right to ask Bucky to run head first for it once again.

“That little guy from Brooklyn. The one who was too dumb not to run away from a fight.” Bucky said, cutting Steve out of his panicked thoughts, “I’m following him. I’m following Steve Rogers. The man who saved me from certain death. Fuck Captain America.”

Warmth filled Steve’s chest. Bucky wasn’t following the persona that the media had made for him. Bucky was following the kid his mother had warned him to avoid; the one who always had something to prove and never gave up. The one who stood up to all the class bullies, got knocked down, and stood back up. Bucky was following him.

But god, did Steve wish Bucky had meant that last sentence. He wished Bucky would actually fuck Captain America - and by that he meant him.

Bucky licked over his bottom lip and bit down into it while making eye contact with Steve. “But you're keeping the outfit right?” He asked, nudging him. 

Steve sighed, letting himself breath in the omega’s cinnamon scent and praying that the crowded bar was enough to keep him in his seat. The scent filled him, swirling around him and filling his mind with that hazy feeling of lust again. He leaned a bit closer, touching Bucky’s arm and gesturing to the poster behind them.

“You know what?” He whispered, “It’s kinda growing on me.” If Bucky loved the outfit, Steve would wear it with pride - thankfully they’d still let him wear cargo pants instead of nylon since there was no other way to hide an erection in that tight suit.

Bucky threw his head back and giggled.

The man was honestly too attractive and adorable for his own good. He was going to be the death of Steve, and yet, Steve welcomed it with open arms. He just had to make sure that he was never alone in a room with the omega that he wanted so badly.


	2. I Came Here For You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The team is on a mission. Bucky gets his heat.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello my lovelys!
> 
> It's Saturday so here's Chapter 2! Spent all night writing it just for you. It's only beta read by me so I apologize for any mistakes I made.
> 
> It caps out at 9K! The first chapter was 13K so I thought it'd be a dick move to follow that with a short chapter so.... You got this thing. Chapters may start getting smaller as this story progresses, but for now you go this crazy stuff! 
> 
> Also please continue commenting. Every time someone comments I get that little boost of serotonin so I really appreciate all of your comments!
> 
> Anyway, Here you go.

Bucky sat around a small makeshift fire wedged between Dugan and Gabe. They'd made camp for the night, still a day's walk from their destination on their first mission together.

When Steve had asked Bucky to join his team Bucky was elated, but then chain of command stepped in. They’d tried to stop it, saying that an advanced tactical team was no place for an omega - that he could get hurt or killed, but Steve wouldn’t hear it. He had told the chain of command that he would refuse to take anyone other than Bucky as his sergeant; that Bucky was strong enough to do the job and he was more qualified than anyone since he had spent time with the scientist, Arnim Zola, and knew his behavior. It was a small white lie and the entire team knew it. Bucky had been too drugged up to remember anything about Zola, but nobody else needed to know that. Then everyone else on the team told the command that they would have Bucky on the team or command could shove it. That was the deciding factor, and command had caved quickly.

Bucky found himself more and more in awe of Steve everyday. The alpha treated him like an equal, like he wasn’t weak. Bucky didn’t experience that often. Most people treated Bucky like he was useless, that if he wasn’t in the kitchen or knocked up he meant nothing. It was a common view of omegas in society, but it was worse because Bucky was in the army. Everywhere he went, alphas and betas treated him like his rank meant nothing and the chain of command let them. Even Dugan had treated him differently when he first met him, claiming that he wouldn’t take orders from a ‘housewife’. His view quickly changed after Bucky had saved his ass from a bullet or two. 

Bucky hated having to prove himself, but with Steve he didn’t have to. Steve just accepted it. There was no malice, no disbelief, no special treatment. There was only respect.

That was why Bucky had chosen to join the team. He had no desire to run back into the fire he had just been pulled from until Steve had asked him to. If Steve hadn’t have asked he would have taken his medical discharge and gone home happily, but Steve  _ had _ asked and Bucky couldn't stay away. His mother was right, Steve Rogers was trouble, but he was the kind of trouble Bucky wanted. Steve was the kind of trouble that would bend over backwards to help others. He was the kind of trouble that would rather get his ass beaten half to death than to back down. Steve was Bucky’s kind of trouble.

Bucky looked over the flickering flames of the campfire at the man across from him. Steve had his head thrown back in laughter at something that Falsworth had said, his arms crossed over his chest and legs out, crossed at the ankles. The tight fabric of his Captain America outfit was covered in dirt and sandalwood scented sweat. His biceps threatened to tear the fabric that stretched over his arms. 

Bucky wanted those arms around him like they had been when they were escaping the factory. He wanted the alpha to lift him up by his upper thighs, pin him against the nearest tree, and fuck his brains out. He wanted the alpha to bite his shoulder as his knot locked them together for hours, filling him up with cum. He wanted to know how big the alpha’s knot was. Had it gotten bigger along with the rest of the alpha’s body after the serum?

These were the thoughts that had plagued Bucky’s mind ever since their night patrol on the walk back from the Hydra factory. Bucky indulged in them until they became too much and he’d force them away for fear of everyone smelling his arousal.

Bucky knew he’d never be able to act out any of his fantasies though. He and Steve hadn’t been alone together since that night's watch. There was always somebody with them, whether it be one of the team or Peggy. Bucky hated Peggy. It was an unjust hatred - he was aware of the fact - and he knew that if it were other circumstances, she and Bucky would probably have been great friends. Instead, he hated her. He hated her for always being around and hanging off of Steve.

Okay, she wasn’t  _ hanging  _ off him. In reality she never actually touched the alpha, but she stood too close to him and that was enough to make Bucky wildly jealous. Whenever she was in the room, Bucky wanted to wrap himself around Steve and hiss at her. He wanted to stake his claim, but he didn’t have a claim. It was impossible to get one because they were  _ never  _ alone. If Bucky didn’t believe Steve was such a good person he would think the man was avoiding him. He couldn’t think of a reason why though. He thought they had a moment that night.  _ If we’d met back then, I’d’ve remembered you. _ Scratch that, they had definitely had a moment. 

At first he’d thought it was the fact that his scent was heightened, but that didn’t seem to be an issue for Dugan, Dernier, and Falsworth who were also alpha, so why would it affect Steve any differently? It was just frustrating.

Steve made eye contact with Bucky over the fire giving him a smile.

Bucky smiled back, his heart doing a little somersault in his chest. Steve couldn’t be mad at him, he wouldn’t smile at him like that if he was. Maybe Bucky was reading too far into things. Maybe it was just a coincidence that he had never been alone with the alpha. Maybe Bucky was just being paranoid.

“So Cap, you got an omega waitin’ at home for ya?” Gabe asked.

Bucky realized he didn’t take the possibility of Steve being bonded as an opinion for his avoidance at all. It wasn’t an impossibility. Steve’s uniform did cover almost every inch of the man’s skin up to his neck and they have yet to see any skin from the man that the suit didn’t reveal. If Steve was bonded nobody would be able to see the bite.

Bucky hoped that wasn’t the reason. He hoped that the man wasn’t claimed. It caused his stomach to churn at just the thought of Steve being bonded to some other omega. 

“No. I don’t.” Steve replied and Bucky could have sworn he saw the man glance at him. “Before the serum… I wasn’t the most suitable alpha back home.” 

The men looked between each other before looking back at Steve. Bucky watched as some of them scooted a few inches further in their seats and leaned forward like children during story time. 

“I feel like there’s a tale there.” Morita spoke for the rest of the camp.

Steve shrugged, the little space between his brows crinkling together as he looked down at their fire. “Not really. I was a little guy, always had issues with my health. Got pneumonia every winter and spring. When I presented, most people thought it was a joke. I could barely walk two blocks without wheezing due to my weak lungs. How the hell was little Steve Rogers gonna protect an omega? Most people thought I was gonna die alone.”

Bucky’s heart hurt at Steve’s words. He knew what people had said about Steve around Brooklyn, - hell Bucky’s own mother had said plenty of things - but he never thought that Steve took it to heart. He never knew people had told him to his face.

Bucky wished he could go back in time and disobey his mothers words, become friends with the small blond boy who always picked fights against people who were bigger than him and never ran away. He wished he could have been there. If Bucky had presented in High School and known he was an omega, he would have thought Steve the  _ only  _ viable option. The other alphas they went to school with were all assholes who believed omegas were below them. He’d been friends with a few who had dropped him like a hot potato when he presented as an omega himself. 

Bucky’s mother was surprised when Steve had presented as an alpha, but she was even more surprised when Bucky had presented as an omega. She’d been shocked when he went into his first heat, panicking because she thought she had more time before having to deal with something like that; that Becca would be the first. His father had been angry, but not at Bucky. He was upset that his son, who he’d raised to be a strong and independent man, would not have the same opportunities that an alpha would. His father was angry with society.

“That’s not true.” Bucky found himself objecting to the statement. The entire camp turned to him with looks of interest, as if they were watching a movie play out in front of them. “Not everyone thought it was a joke.”

Steve looked at him and raised his left eyebrow in challenge. “Really? Nobody told me otherwise.”

“I thought it was spot on when I heard. Even before you presented, you were just as hard-headed and stubborn as you are now.”

The rest of the camp had abandoned looking at Steve, putting all their focus on Bucky instead. Bucky didn’t mind it though. He didn’t like Steve making himself out to be pathetic before when the man was anything but. Steve had always been strong, even when his body wasn’t.

“I went to school with Steve, though we hadn’t met in person. Even in junior high, Steve would pick fights with anyone who even bothered to try to bully anyone. Sometimes I wondered if he liked getting punched.”

“I didn’t.” Steve interjected wryly.

Bucky ignored him. “But every time he got hit, he’d get right back up. I can’t tell you how many times he got sent to the nurse with two black eyes. He was lucky his ma was a nurse too, or I’m sure he’d've been disfigured. If you ask me, Steve’s one of the strongest alphas I’ve ever heard of. He would die before he let any omega he bonded with get hurt - he’d rather die than live with the guilt. Any omega would’ve been lucky to be with him. I’m surprised he isn’t bonded yet.”

Bucky felt his cheeks heat up at the knowing stares of his teammates. Dugan was smirking at him. Bucky’s eyes moved to Steve and he felt like he was lit on fire.

Steve was staring at him with the most intense expression he’d ever received. The omega inside of Bucky wanted to fall to the floor, crawl over to Steve and nose at the alpha’s crotch. It made him want to beg for the alpha to knot him, mark him as his own, claim him. He wanted to bend over and present himself on a golden platter. 

It was all too much. Bucky could feel himself becoming wet with slick. If he didn’t stop this now, the whole team would know just how much Bucky wanted Steve and so would the alpha. Steve needed to stop looking at him like that.

Bucky cleared his throat. “But he’s also the dumbest, most reckless idiot anyone could ever meet. So I don’t know how anyone could handle him. I definitely couldn’t.” He forced himself to seem amused, lying through his teeth. He could totally handle Steve, but if he didn’t lie then Steve would continue to stare at him and he’d embarrass himself in the worst possible way. He was a Sergeant, goddamn it! He couldn’t afford for his men to see him all weak and needy outside of his heat.

“Got that fuckin’ right.” Morita laughed, “Sometime I wonder what the hell was going through your mind when you came to save our asses.”

“Not to mention this,” Gabe waved his hand around the team as he spoke “dumb idea.”

“It wasn’t dumb.” Dugan defended, “It was down right insane.”

“You are absolutely mad.” Falsworth jumped in.

Dernier nodded in agreement.

“Well, thanks for the vote of confidence.” Steve laughed. 

The entire camp joined in. Bucky smiled at their easy camaraderie. They may not know each other very well yet, but he could already see them becoming something like a family. Now all they needed to do was make it out of this hell of a war alive.

* * *

Bucky was shaken awake by a strong hand on his shoulder. His eyes opened slowly to meet with Morita crouched in front of him. Morita lifted one finger to his lips, shaking his head. Bucky knew this meant ‘be quiet, don’t make a single sound’. He nodded, slowly sliding up from his position laying down in the dirt and looking around the camp. 

The rest of the men were already awake moving around the camp in utter silence. Not even a twig snapped underneath their footsteps as they grabbed their things. Steve looked over to him and gave him a nod while taking off the jacket he had slept in that night. Bucky watched as the men handed it around the camp until it got to him and Steve motioned for him to put it on.

Bucky looked at him confused. 

Morita leaned into Bucky, whispering in Bucky’s ear. “There’s a platoon of about twenty Hydra soldiers stopped on the supply road a hundred yards from here. We’re gonna try to sneak up on ‘em, but your scent is way too strong, man.” He whispered.

Bucky’s eyes widened. Steve was giving him his jacket to try to cover up his scent. Bucky slid the jacket on without any argument. Steve was right, his new scent was much too strong and would give away their position way instantly. It didn’t hurt that Bucky couldn’t wait to be covered in the alpha’s wonderful sandalwood scent.

Once everyone had gathered their things the men followed Morita, who had been on watch when the Hydra soldiers had shown up, heading towards the Hydra camp while keeping low to the ground and using the dense underbrush to hide from view. Morita put his hand up for them to halt and Steve moved past the line to the front. Bucky watched as the man peered through the bushes, but couldn’t see what he was looking at from his stance behind Morita. He didn’t dare stand up.

Steve made hand motions telling the men to break off into teams, giving each team of two a direction. He wanted them to circle the camp and attack from all sides. The men nodded, doing as they were told.

Bucky and Morita broke off and took the East while Dugan and Falsworth took the West. Gabe and Dernier followed Bucky and Morita before passing them and heading to take their post in the South. Bucky tucked himself deeper into Steve’s bomber jacket, pulling the collar up to his nose to effectively cover the scent glands on his neck and drown out his overly powerful scent. The smell of sandalwood filled Bucky’s nose, forcing away his building anxiety and calming him.

A low whistle sounded from across the camp followed by another and then Morita let out one of his own. It was their signal that they were all in position. The Hydra soldiers on watch only had a moment to look around for the culprit in confusion before Steve’s shield came flying out of the bushes and knocked four of them to the ground before whirling back.

All of the soldiers turned to Steve’s direction, leaving the rest of the team an opening - it all happened in the span of seconds.

Bucky lifted his rifle, pulling the trigger in quick succession and taking out three of the soldiers as Morita took out two. Dugan jumped from the tree-line and used his brute strength to stab two others as Falsworth shot three more at close range with his pistol. One of the Hydra soldiers trained their weapon on Dugan, pulling the trigger, but Steve burst out of the woods at the last second and ricocheted the shot back with his shield. The bullet lodged itself in the soldier's stomach and he collapsed. By this point the four soldiers that had been knocked over were standing, but not for long as Gabe and Dernier both stepped out of the woods and shot them down. 

Steve didn’t stay in his spot in front of Dugan for long, throwing his shield at an angle so it bounced off one of their trucks, decapitating another soldier before lodging itself in a tree. Two men climbed out of the truck and ran towards Steve who met them head on, kicking one in the stomach with such force he was sent flying backwards and tackling the other one to the ground before snapping his neck. 

Dugan held a man against his chest, a gun pressed to his temple. “Maybe this one’s got some information about the base we’re headed to?”

“You speak English, asshole?” Morita asked the Hydra agent as Dugan lowered the man to his knees, the gun still pressed against his head.

The captive soldier glared up at them, eyes defiant. Bucky already knew it was going to take a lot to draw any information out of the man. The soldier’s eyes flitted across each of his teammates before coming to rest on Bucky. His nose wiggled a bit, smelling the air. “Do all you Americans bring  _ eure Huren _ to war?” The man spat in a thick German accent.

“I’d watch your words if I were you.” Steve growled, taking a step closer.

The soldier only smiled, like he knew something the rest of them didn’t. “What are you going to do, Captain? Shoot me? I am not afraid of you.”

“Not afraid of him, huh?” Bucky asked, stepping forward a bit. He fixed a challenging smirk on to his face and a wild look into his eyes. “Oh, that’s fine. He’s the boy scout. I however,” Bucky took another step, bending down slightly to get in the soldier’s face, “am not one to fuck with.”

The soldier rolled his eyes.

“We were going into this without information in the first place. We don’t really need you.” Bucky shrugged, then took a step back and nodded to Dugan.

Dugan shrugged, pulling the trigger. Blood and brain matter burst from the soldier’s head, landing in chunks on the ground and splattering Bucky’s boots. Bucky groaned, taking a step back. The shoes were brand new, they’d been issued to him after they’d gotten back to the base along with a new ‘uniform’ and he wasn’t happy to get fragments of skull and blood all over them. He huffed, brushing a hand through his hair. 

“So, what is the plan now, Captain?” Falsworth asked, looking over to Steve. 

Bucky turned to find Steve’s eyes trained on him with an unreadable expression, his lips in a tight line. A spike of fear rushed through Bucky as he realized that he hadn’t asked Steve before giving Dugan the command to blow the soldier’s head off. He was still getting used to having a higher ranking official in the field with him - Bucky was normally the commanding officer whenever the 107th had gone somewhere - and he was scared he had upset Steve by giving an order without asking first.

Steve shook his head as if he was clearing away his thoughts before turning to the team. “Bucky was right, we didn’t really need him. Besides, Hydra soldiers have a tendency to eat cyanide before they give up any information so if Dugan hadn’t have shot him, he most likely would have killed himself.” Bucky felt his heartbeat slow with Steve’s acceptance of his decision. “The plan stays the same: we get the information on the factory so we can knock it off the map.”

“Yes sir.” The men replied.

“Oh and Buck?”

Bucky froze, all his previous anxiety rushing back in a single moment. “Yeah?”

“Don’t call me a boy scout. I can get my hands dirty.”

* * *

Bucky lifted the lid on one of the crates in the large barn. They’d just taken the small Hydra supply base, going in guns blazing after Dernier blew the shit out of their trucks, and now they were looking through everything. It was much of the same as the factory they were rescued from - crates of magazines filled with glowing blue bullets. The dead Hydra soldiers surrounding them were all equipped with guns that appeared to be designed to fire this experimental ammo. They’d been lucky to catch them by surprise so nobody was vaporized, but it came close at one point.

“I got more glowing bullets.” Bucky called loudly.

“Me too.” Dugan’s voice followed. Bucky turned to watch the alpha pick up one of the dead soldier’s guns and pull a clip out of his crate to load it. “This thing might come in handy later.”

Bucky rolled his eyes, turning towards Steve. The blond alpha cast the commanding officer’s body down, his corpse foaming at the mouth as he hit the wooden floor with a thump. Steve’s jaw was clenched, all of his muscles tight as he stared down at the man’s body in anger. Morita and Gabe moved slightly close to him, their scents growing stronger in the air, trying to radiate calm. 

A strike of jealousy vibrated through Bucky. He wanted to be the one to comfort the alpha; he wanted to curl up in the alpha’s arms and scent him until he calmed completely. He wanted to hear the small ‘thank you’ that Steve had given the two betas directed at him. Steve’s scent on the jacket that he gave Bucky earlier was almost gone now, completely overrun by the intensity of Bucky’s own scent. A part of him wanted to take it off and shove it at Steve - telling him to cover it in his scent again before taking it back - but the other part of him never wanted to let it go because Steve had  _ given _ it to him. Even if he hadn’t meant for Bucky to keep it, Bucky was going to.

Bucky hadn’t realized he’d been taking steps forward until he stood right beside Steve who had tensed up again. Bucky played it off cool, turning his head to look down at the Hydra commanding officer instead. “So, what’s the verdict?”

“As I thought, he killed himself before I got anything.” Steve gritted out.

“Well… There’s gotta be somethin’ around here. It’s a base for reloading supplies. There’s gotta be manifests. This guy couldn’ta had the entire schedule and amount of supplies memorized.” Bucky told him, trying to calm the man down. He had to settle for words because he couldn’t calm him down how he really wanted to.

“Sarge is right, Cap.” Morita said, knocking his boot against a crate. “Gotta be a list of this shit and it’s destination somewhere.”

Steve closed his eyes, taking a deep breath. Bucky frowned, unable to help but notice that it had only been through his mouth. “Let’s spread out and find it.” Steve commanded. 

The rest of the team did as he said, moving quickly. Bucky stood in his place watching the alpha closely. Steve had told them before that Hydra would rather die than give up information, so why did Steve look so upset that this officer did just that? His eyebrows scrunched together and he reached his hand out to touch Steve’s arm over the bright blue sleeve of his costume. Steve looked down at Bucky’s hand, staring at it for a couple of moments before looking up at him. 

Bucky raised an eyebrow in questioning. “You alright? You knew he was gonna die.”

“I’m fine. It’s just… he got the easy way out.”

“You wanted to kill him yourself? Why?”

“He hit you.” Was Steve’s only reply before he walked away as quickly as possible. 

Bucky stared after the alpha, eyebrows drawn in confusion. This was exactly why Bucky was so confused. One minute Steve was avoiding him, making sure he was never alone with him, and the next he was saying kind things and acting all protective of Bucky. Bucky didn’t need anyone to protect him - that was for sure - but for some reason he didn’t mind when Steve did. Maybe it was because Steve didn’t seem to be protective because he didn’t think Bucky couldn’t protect himself - he seemed to be protective because he thought Bucky shouldn’t  _ have _ to. It just didn’t make any sense. Did Steve want him or not? Bucky sighed, following Steve’s orders and turning towards the door that the officer had surprised him from during the fire fight. 

The door was wide open, leading to a small room empty except for a chair that sat in the middle and a wooden box that sat in the far left corner. It seemed eerie, like some sort of torture room, but there were no torture devices present.

Bucky walked past the chair to the box in the corner, pausing only to check for traps before breaking the lock and hefting the top up. The contents were covered with straw and he reached his hand inside, feeling around for anything that might be hidden beneath. When he didn’t feel anything, he moved to turn the box upside down. The straw fell gently, landing on the ground in a pile and Bucky used his foot to spread it out. When he found nothing, he looked back inside the box to see if there was anything in the bottom, but there wasn’t.

“Find anything Sergeant?” Falsworth asked, entering the room. Gabe and Dernier were close behind him.

“Nah. Room’s pretty bare.”

“We didn’t find nothin’ either.” Dugan said, pushing his way in with Morita.

Bucky nodded, walking over to the chair and dropping himself down into it. They’d manage to take out the supply stop but there was no information on the factory that they could find. This couldn’t be what had been marked on that giant map in the room where Bucky had been tortured. It couldn’t have.

A small  _ thwap  _ sounded as something hit the floor beneath the chair Bucky had sat in.

Bucky leaned, putting his head between his knees to look beneath him and finding a thick manila folder. Standing up, he looked down at the chair. One of the spines on the thing was now split in half, the lower half pushed down a quarter of an inch. He flipped the chair finding a false bottom. Bucky smiled, grabbing the manila folder and standing back up.

“Oh shit, the Jerrys are getting smart.” Bucky joked, “Or at least they think they are.”

The men all laughed, moving aside as Steve entered the small room. Bucky lifted the manila folder up to the alpha proudly, fixing a cute little smirk on his face. Steve reached for it and Bucky took a step back, yanking the folder out of the man’s reach.

“Ah ah. I found it. I get to read it.” Bucky teased.

Steve stared at him, his nostrils flared slightly, but other than that he looked resigned to Bucky’s demand. Bucky wondered once again if his teasing had somehow upset the alpha. They’d grown comfortable in each other’s presence ever since that night on guard watch, but Bucky needed to remember that Steve was his commanding officer. Even if every time he looked at Steve he saw the small blond 8th grader who never backed down. Even if he found himself absolutely infatuated with the man.

Bucky looked between Steve and the envelope a few times before holding it out and looking away, fighting a blush. “Sorry, Cap. It’s all yours.”

Steve took it from him with a nod before opening it and scanning the documents. “This is everything we need. Good find, Bucky.”

Bucky gave a curt nod, projecting the image of a good soldier. On the inside he was melting. The praise had him fighting with his inner omega, his animalistic hindbrain yelling at him to drop to his knees, rip Steve’s trousers to his ankles, and take Steve’s cock into his mouth. Then he’d just sit there like that: Steve’s cock between his wet lips, shoved as far as it would go as Bucky breathed through his nose, and moaned against it. Maybe Steve would grip his hair and fuck into his mouth slowly, each thrust gaining speed until Bucky was being choked on his length.

Bucky took a deep breath. He needed to calm down. Slick was already building up and he was one more thought away from  _ leaking _ . He was sure the rest of the team could smell it, but if they did they didn’t say anything. Steve was still breathing through his mouth, unable to. smell it. Not yet. Bucky needed to get it under control before that happened.

“Thanks.” Bucky choked out, walking out of the room and pretending to make himself busy with one of the crates in the main warehouse again.

When the team was done gathering bullets and Hydra weapons, they all left the building and headed for the only truck that Dernier hadn’t blown up, loading their gear and extra gasoline canisters in the back. Once everyone was ready, they climbed into the truck with Dugan driving and the rest of them in the bed crammed in along with their supplies.

As they drove away from the small outpost, Dernier blew it to kingdom come.

* * *

They drove straight through the night and next day, taking turns behind the wheel so that nobody got too tired. They didn’t want to risk stopping for fear that they’d get caught behind enemy lines. When night fell on the second day, they sat in the back of the truck with lamps that they had stolen. It was too dangerous to have a fire since the night sky was clear and didn’t have any clouds to disguise the smoke. 

After eating their c-rations, Morita had pulled out a deck of cards and he, Gabe, Dernier and Dugan started a game of poker while Falsworth climbed on top of the truck’s cab to keep watch. Steve had pulled a small notebook and pencil out of one of the pockets of his pack and had begun to sketch with intense focus. 

Bucky had pretended to sleep, his eyes closed and head tucked down into his borrowed jacket. His mind was plagued with thoughts of the alpha near him, keeping him from any real form of rest. He wondered what Steve was drawing and if Steve would let him see. He figured not; the alpha hadn’t told the team that he knew how to draw, so maybe he was shy about it and wanted to keep it to himself.

Bucky wondered if Steve would draw him. Maybe, if they all got leave at some point, Steve would be willing to draw him and he could finally get his moment alone with the man. He could take off his jacket and tell the alpha that if he had to sit still for a while he could at least be comfortable. He could find an excuse to take off his shirt, maybe, and Steve would stop drawing to watch him closely. He might even come over and touch. He could run his hands up and down Bucky’s sides and back, his face in Bucky’s neck placing feather light kisses. 

Bucky cracked one eye open and glanced at Steve out of the corner of his eye. He had scrunched his knees up against his chest, bringing the notebook almost impossibly closer to his face. There was a gray smudge on the man’s cheek from the pencil lead and the little space between the alpha’s eyebrows was scrunched up in concentration, his right hand was moving over the page slowly. Occasionally, he’d use the index finger of his left hand to smudge something on his page, shading maybe. It seemed like he was in his own little world.

Bucky gave up on sleep completely, opening his eyes and slowly moving to face the alpha. He stretched and yawned for effect, using the movement as an excuse to stretch out his legs, the limited space in the truck making it so his feet came to rest close to Steve’s ankles. “What’re ya drawin’?”

“Hm?” Steve asked looking up from his notebook. His eyes connected with Bucky’s, but he looked away quickly, glancing down the truck bed at Morita’s card game. It seemed like he suddenly realized that he and Bucky were on one side of the truck and the others out of hearing distance, distracted on the other end. They weren’t alone, but it was close enough. Steve peering back down at his drawing. “Nothin’ really.”

“Can I see?”

Steve’s eyes widened and looked back and forth between Bucky and the notebook. A light blush colored his face, disappearing down his neck and into his costume. Bucky wondered if the blush would cover the alpha’s chest too. Was Steve the type to turn red from exertion during sex? Could sex even exhaust him anymore ever since the serum? Bucky desperately wanted to find out. 

He opened his legs a bit, pretending to stretch some more and placing his right foot so it came into contact with Steve’s calf. He needed to be touching Steve and at this point any contact would do.

“Um…. It’s not done.”

“Can I see it when it is?”

Steve bit his lip. “I’ve never really shared my art before.”

“Okay. I don’t wanna pressure you. I was just curious.”

“It’s okay.” Steve smiled and closed the notebook, then shoved it into his pack and relaxed from his small ball as he stretched out his legs. His left leg lined up with Bucky’s right - thighs pressed against calves - and his boot going just past Bucky’s hip due to his legs being longer. 

They sat in silence for a moment. Bucky stared at the alpha as he laid his head against the canvas covered side of the truck, exposing his neck. He doubted it was intentional, but it set Bucky’s stomach on fire. He wanted to lean forward and scent him, breath in the man’s sandalwood smell and rub his own cinnamon all over him. He wished that the jacket still smelled of Steve.

“Did you want your jacket back? I kinda forgot about it.”

“Nah. It’s okay. I don’t get cold anymore. You can keep it until we get you a warmer one.”

Dugan growled something about Dernier cheating and Steve turned to look at them. They were laughing, though, so it didn’t seem like anyone was actually angry. Bucky was glad because he didn’t want Steve to have a reason to move away.

He thought once again about Steve avoiding him, the idea of it becoming more and more plausible the more he turned it over in his mind. It was the only possible conclusion. When he had looked up from his drawing he looked at Bucky first but then checked for the rest of the team, almost anxiously. He wouldn’t have done that if he wanted to be alone with Bucky, would he? Had he done something wrong? He felt like Steve was upset at him for something, but he didn’t know what. He thought their conversation on that night watch was fine. 

Bucky pushed it from his thoughts, rolling his eyes. “I have my own jacket you know. You only gave me this to cover my scent and it’s not doing that anymore so you can have it back.”

“I know you have your own jacket. That one’s warmer though.”

“Why would they give you a warmer jacket if you don’t get cold?” Bucky challenged.

“I don’t know.” Steve shrugged.

Bucky huffed, leaning forward to pull off the jacket. He held it out to Steve with one hand as he pulled his pack over with the other, digging through it for his own blue jacket.

“Buck.”

“Steve, just take it. It ain’t mine.” He said with a tone of finality as he dropped it in Steve’s lap and pulled his own jacket on. If Steve wanted to give it back to him later - when it was covered in the alpha’s scent again - he wouldn’t object. “Besides, you may run hot, but you gotta keep the chill out anyways. We don’t know how cold it’s gonna get tonight. If I get cold I’ll ask for it back, yeah?”

Steve looked resigned, his voice low. “Yeah, Buck. Okay, whatever ya want.”

Bucky wanted to snap at him, tell him that he obviously wasn’t getting whatever he wanted or Steve would be screwing him into the fucking ground right now. Instead, he kept it to himself, taking a deep breath. He’d just have to settle for whatever amount the alpha’s heady sandalwood scent he could get with their close proximity.

“And if you think I’m too cold, you can always order me to take it back. You are my commanding officer,” he teased.

Steve didn’t take the bait, just looked sad. “I’d never do that to you. It’s an abuse of power and it takes away your power of choice.”

Bucky tilted his head at Steve. Ordering Bucky to take his jacket when he’s cold wasn’t the worst thing Steve could do. It wasn’t like he was ordering him to jump off a cliff or shoot a baby. It was a simple way of making sure the soldiers he was in charge of stayed warm and healthy. 

“I wouldn’t force a beta or an alpha to take my jacket. I won’t force you either.”

Bucky’s heart nearly lept out of his chest like it always did when Steve treated him as an equal. It made him feel warm and important, like he was more to the alpha than his omega designation. His head swam with confusion. How could Steve say such sweet things then avoid Bucky like he was the plague? How could he treat Bucky with such respect and then not even tell him why he was upset? It made no sense. 

“Thanks.” He finally settled on, his voice hoarse.

“No need to thank me.”

Their conversation went quiet again and Bucky pulled his jacket tighter around himself. He wasn’t cold, but he could still feel the difference between Steve’s comfortable bomber jacket and his own thin wool one. Part of him wished he had kept it but the other part - the bigger part - wanted it covered in Steve’s scent again before he asked for it back. He could stand the cold if it meant being able to be blanketed in Steve’s scent again.

Bucky turned his head and watched as Morita got up, taking his pack of cards and climbing out of the truck bed to relieve Falsworth from his watch. Gabe, Dernier, and Dugan all settled down to sleep then, shoving away boxes of equipment gently so as not to make their glowing blue contents explode. Bucky could see that it was dark outside through the empty space in the flap when Falsworth climbed into the truck.

“Try to get some sleep, Buck. And that is an order. We can’t have you falling asleep on your turn to drive.”

“Yes sir.” Bucky replied and tucked himself into his wool jacket the best he could before closing his eyes. He breathed deeply - in through his nose and out through his mouth - as Steve’s scent filled the space around him. Sleep came easily then.

* * *

Bucky woke to pain in his abdomen and blood pounding in his ears. He curled himself into a ball, tucking his face into his jacket and whimpered loudly. Everything hurt. His whole body felt like it had been drenched in gasoline and set on fire. Even the clothes on his body felt unnecessarily rough, like somebody was taking sandpaper and tearing away at the layers of his skin. He whimpered again, scrunching his eyes closed and clutching at his abdomen.

It couldn’t have already been three months since Steve rescued them from Hydra. It seemed impossible. Time had flown by so quickly while they trained, preparing to take out Hydra. He couldn’t go into heat now - he was on a mission.

“Buck?” Steve’s voice echoed from somewhere near him, still rough from sleep. It sent a shiver down his spine, his mind latching onto the alpha’s presence. 

The heat swelled in Bucky’s abdomen as his mind took notice of the alpha’s scent for the first time since waking up. The longer Steve was near him the faster it would move from unpleasant pain to intense arousal. His mind was already growing the foggy edge that came with the extreme lust of heat. The need to be held down and bred clouding all conscious thought.

“Bucky? Are you okay?” Steve asked, his gruff voice was now dripping with worry.

Bucky felt hands touching his shoulders, sending jolts of pleasure through him at the small amount of contact. With his hands on Bucky’s shoulders, the scent gland on Steve’s wrist was only feet from his face. All Bucky could smell was sandalwood and sweat. He turned, nuzzling the tip of his nose into Steve’s wrist as he rolled over slightly. 

Steve gasped, scrambling backwards to where he was sitting when Bucky had fallen asleep, his eyes wide and mouth open. Bucky whimpered at the loss of contact, pulling himself up and moving towards Steve. When Steve’s touch was on him his pain had lessened. 

“Steve.” He whimpered, climbing into the alpha’s lap, pressing himself against Steve’s chest, and sticking his nose in the alpha’s throat. He smelled so good. He’d never met an alpha that had smelled so good before. Why did Steve smell so good? 

He had never reacted this way to an alpha while in heat before. Even when he’d been locked in that cell during his last heat with Dugan, Falsworth, and Dernier, he still had control of himself for the most part. He didn’t feel the need to touch them like he did Steve; just their scents had been enough to keep him sane. But with Steve right next to him, smelling like heaven incarnate? He became the shuttering mess of an omega in heat that was portrayed in so many dirty stories. He became a knot-hungry slut.

Bucky ground his hips down on Steve’s lap, another whimper leaving his mouth but this time in pleasure. A small part of Bucky noticed Steve’s tense body and the way his chest was still - like he was holding his breath - but the larger part overpowered the thoughts with how good it felt to gain friction on his throbbing dick. He could feel the slick leaking from him now, soaking the back of his pants as he ground down harder against Steve’s thigh. A quiet moan left his lips as he brushed the tip of his nose up Steve’s neck, his hands lacing into the alpha’s hair.

“Bucky.” Steve’s voice sounded pained, “Buck, ya gotta get off me, Pal. If you don’t get off me now we’re gonna do something we both regret.”

Bucky whimpered again, his lips touching gently against the skin behind his ear. “Not gonna regret.” Bucky whispered, grinding down again, “Feel so good, Steve. So good.”

“Bucky, that’s your heat talking. Your scent is even stronger than usual.” Steve tried to tell him. Bucky heard him take a breath through his mouth as it turned into another gasp. “Fuck, I can almost taste it.”

Bucky nodded, moving to rub the scent gland on his neck against the alpha beneath him. “Taste it, lick me.” He challenged, “Bet I taste so good, alpha.”

Steve let out a groan. “Buck, don’t want to hurt ya, but if ya don’t move now, I’m gonna have to move ya. If I don’t I’m gonna end up fucking you into the truck. You’re scent’s twice as strong as normal, Buck. That’s twice as strong as any normal omega in heat. You gotta move, Pal. Please, I don’t wanna hurt ya.”

Bucky could barely understand what Steve was saying, his mind too clouded with the feel of Steve against him. His whole body was aching for more. The seat of his pants was drenched by now, slick pouring out of him with each grinding thrust forward in Steve’s lap. He needed more. He needed skin. 

Bucky gripped the neck of Steve’s costume and lightly tugged on it, trying to get the alpha to take it off. When Steve didn’t, he yanked harder at the offending fabric. “Doesn’t hurt.” Bucky moaned, rubbing against Steve again. “Doesn’t hurt. Feels so good.”

“Buck.” Steve groaned out again. 

Bucky felt the alpha’s hands grip his hips and sighed in relief. Steve was giving in, was gonna take care of him like he so desperately wanted. He wrapped his arms around Steve’s neck, rocking down harder.

“Fuck.” Steve whispered, his grip tightening.

It happened almost at the speed of light - Bucky was suddenly moved back, gently and quickly set down on the truck bed. Steve covered Bucky quickly with his jacket before getting up and stumbling his way past Morita, Falsworth, Dugan, and Dernier who sat awake staring wide-eyed at the display in front of them. 

Bucky past the point of caring. The pain had started back up now that Steve was no longer near, only slightly lessened by the alpha’s scent that remained on the jacket he had laid on him. His omega hindbrain screamed at him, telling him to follow the alpha out into the woods, but he couldn’t move. His muscles felt too sore and his dick strained against the uncomfortable, scratchy damp fabric of his pants. He needed to get naked. He needed Steve’s knot.

“Steve?” Bucky whined. Steve had left him - had run away from him. The omega in him howled. Steve had rejected him. 

Tears slid down Bucky’s face. His instincts screamed at him that he wasn’t a suitable enough mate for the strong alpha who smelled so good. He felt another coat being dropped on him, followed by the weight of another, two more alpha scents mixing with Steve’s. He shoved them away in fear that their smell would drown out the scent of Steve on the jacket he had buried his face in.

“Jesus, Sarge.” Bucky could barely hear Dugan’s voice huff as he passed out.

* * *

When Bucky woke up he found himself in a canvas tent. A cup of water sat on the wooden crate that served as a bedside table to the cot Bucky was laying on. His throat burned with thirst as he reached for it, chugging it down as fast as he could. Drops of water dropped from the corner of his lips and slid down his naked chest. He looked down to find himself completely naked. His body covered in a thick sheen of sweat, but he didn’t feel hot.

“Oh good! You’re up.” An English voice called out.

Bucky turned his head, following the sound. 

In the corner of the tent near the door sat Peggy Carter. Her ankles were crossed in a lady-like way and her back ram-rod straight. A book sat face down on her knee and she looked at him with calm understanding. She smiled at him lightly.

Bucky still hated her.

“Where am I?” Bucky croaked. His voice seemed sore with strain, like he’d been screaming. The last thing he remembered was falling asleep after giving Steve his jacket back.

“We’re in a tent ten miles from base camp in Allied territory. I’ve been assigned to watch over you through your heat.” 

“Heat?”

Peggy’s eyebrows scrunched together, her head tilting slightly to the left as she looked at him in confusion. “Yes, your heat. You’ve been quite incapacitated for the past week or so, I’m afraid. Had trouble getting you out here. Morita and Gabe were kind enough to drive us. Steve arrived at the camp ahead of you lads, running straight for his tent, and when the truck arrived Dugan, Falsworth, Dernier took off too, but everyone could tell why. I’m afraid you smell twice as strong in heat as you do now. I’m surprised they didn’t all immediately go into rut while you were on your mission. Colonel Phillips tossed Morita and Jones the supplies for this tent and instructed that they were to take you ten miles behind the Allied front. As the only other omega in the camp, I volunteered to watch over you so you weren’t alone. Morita and Jones set up the tent then headed back to base.”

Bucky’s eyes widened at her every word. He’d had his heat and he couldn’t even remember it? It was like there was a gap in his memory, like the past week had suddenly dissolved. “All of that happened?”

“Do you not remember?” 

“No, ma’am. Not a single thing.”

“What do you remember last?”

“Giving Steve back his jacket.”

“Oh my.” Peggy said, standing up and placing her book on a crate by a lamp, “This isn’t good at all. We cannot afford to have you completely gone like this. You’re lucky the mission was completed before your heat began.”

A flare of anger burst through Bucky. He set his shoulders and looked at the other omega with determination. “I’m not leaving the team.” 

Steve had fought so hard to get him on the team. The whole team had put their necks on the line for him. He couldn’t leave. He wouldn’t let some biological imperative stop him from fighting alongside them. Alongside Steve. He was doing this to be next to Steve.

“Well of course not! I would never dream of such a thing!” Peggy huffed, “But we may need to take you to go see Howard. He may be able to give you some of the handy little pills he gave me.”

“Pills?”

“Yes. They suppress heat.” Peggy explained as she dug through another crate nearby, eventually pulling out a pair of underwear, army issued pants, socks, and a shirt. She strode towards him gracefully, setting the clothes down on the crate next to his cot. “They’re very expensive, a form of birth control that he would give his conquests to keep them from getting pregnant. The lack of heats is a side-effect, but it serves its purpose. It is all completely safe. They tested it on fertility of male omegas and it didn't cause any problems.”

Bucky couldn’t help but think that Peggy was awfully chatty. Sure, in a professional setting she was normally quite reserved, but she was different when she didn’t have alphas and betas around her questioning her every move. She was a lot like Bucky. 

But he still hated her.

“I don’t have any money.” Bucky huffed. She was in the military - she knew this job didn’t pay all that well. 

“Oh not to worry, you wouldn’t have to pay for it. It’s a necessity. Howard sees it as part of his duty as a defense contractor.”

“Oh.” Bucky said. He stood up from his place on the cot, grabbing the underwear first and yanking it on before pulling on the rest of the clothes she had provided for him. After noticing his combat boots in the corner, he went over and grabbed them, sitting in the chair that Peggy was sitting in when he woke up so he could slide them on. “Was I not wearing my coat when I arrived?”

“You were, but unfortunately it and Steve’s coat were casualties in trying to remove you from the back of the truck.”

“Remove me?”

“Yes.” Peggy said, nodding, “You simply refused to leave, latching onto Steve’s jacket and pack. You slid out of your jacket as Morita tried to pull you out. Had the lad cursing up a storm. Steve’s jacket got drenched in mud as Jones managed to finally get you into the tent. Nothing but Steve’s scent seemed to be warding off heat sickness so Jones and Morita had been taking turns bringing you pieces of his clothing throughout the week, though to be honest I’m not sure Steve knew they were doing it. But it kept you well and once you passed out about four hours ago they had arrived and took all of it away since you seemed to be coming down. You really don’t remember?”

“Can’t say I do.” Bucky tried to look unaffected by the fact that Steve’s scent was the only thing to calm him, but failed. His cheeks grew hot and red. He had no clue why only Steve’s scent would do. He knew he was strongly attracted to Steve on an instinctual level, but he had no idea that it was similarly strong on a biological one as well.

“Well, now that you’re dressed we should head back to base camp. You need to eat and hydrate. I am sure all of that… exertion took a lot out of you.”

“Yes ma’am.” Bucky answered.

Peggy nodded, picking up the book and the lamp and heading out of the tent while Bucky followed closely behind. 

The sky outside was dark, the stars twinkling lights above them. Bucky could barely believe that a whole week had passed since he was sitting in the back of a truck under a canvas cover and those same stars. He’s never lost time during a heat before. They’d always been so vivid. Every texture, every sensation, the heat and ache that sinked into his bones. It didn’t seem right to not remember, like something extremely important was missing. What had he missed that his brain was so hell bent on trying to remind him of? 

Bucky shoved the thought away, following Peggy to a jeep that was parked nearby. Peggy climbed into the passenger seat, motioning for Bucky to take the driver's side. Bucky looked back at the tent before looking back to her, “What about the tent?”

“We’ll send someone to come get it later. We need to get you fed.”

“Alright.” Bucky shrugged, climbing into the jeep and starting the engine. Together they headed back to base in silence. Bucky still hated Peggy, but now… perhaps he hated her just a little bit less.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Stevie's super horny and got a sexy omega grinding all over him, but it such a great guy he doesn't take advantage. Jeez I love my Stevie boy!
> 
> Important things for this story:
> 
> Omegas have their heats every three months.  
> Mainstream suppressants/birth control are only available to the super rich (aka Howard).  
> Steve and Bucky went to Catholic School.


	3. I Wanna Be Good For It

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone!  
> Sorry for the wait. I actually made an outline for this story so hopefully the chapters will come faster. Hoping to publish a chapter ever week or week and a half now that I know for sure what I wanna put in each chapter.  
> This chapter is not edited completely, but the dream sequence was beta read by @nakedpancakes on AO3  
> Also, Merry Christmas/Happy Holidays! I guess you could count this as my present to you. All I ask in return is that you keep commenting and leaving kudos. Like I say in every note, every time I get a comment I get a little burst of serotonin and my motivation to keep writing this is renewed.Thank you for reading!
> 
> Title because all Steve wants is Bucky's approval.

Steve let out a slow breath, resting his forehead against his forearm as he leaned forward against the wall of the shower stall. The lukewarm water slid slowly down his back, his sore muscles loosening from their tense state. Purple bruises littered his sides and back in patches, evidence of all the blows he’d taken while they took down the first Hydra factory. It was the first of many, and Steve only hoped that taking them down would be easier as time passed. He closed his eyes tightly, rolling his shoulders to try and shake off the last bit of tension.

It was the middle of the night, everyone else on the base completely asleep other than the soldiers on night watch. His team - The Howling Commandos as the media had taken to calling them - had all ambled back to their tents the moment they’d entered camp, their bodies worn from lack of sleep and adrenaline. The only noise cutting through the silence of the night was that of the water hitting the ground and the occasional marching footsteps of the night patrol.

Steve couldn’t sleep. He’d tried to nap after debrief, curling up on his cot in his tent with a thin wool blanket around him, but his mind was too active; when it wasn’t racing over all the things he could’ve done differently on the mission, it was flashing images of Bucky in his lap, begging and grinding down on him.

Bucky’s heat had been months back, but it was fresh in his mind like it had happened only days ago. The sensation of being able to almost taste Bucky’s cinnamon scent with how thick it was in the air and the feeling of Bucky’s lips behind his ear, his nose brushing up Steve’s neck. The moment was cemented in his mind, likely thanks to his serum-induced eidetic memory.

That entire week had been hell. He’d spent the entire time with his head shoved in a pillow as he tried to block out Bucky’s scent. They’d moved Bucky into a tent ten miles away, but - thanks again to the serum - Steve could still smell him. He struggled to keep himself in the camp, filling his down time with cold showers and the occasional rub off when nobody was around. It was the only thing he could do to keep sane.

He had meant to talk to Bucky about it when he got back, tell him that it was okay and he didn’t need to be embarrassed if he was, but luckily Peggy had gotten to him before he did. 

Steve didn’t know how to feel about Bucky not being able to remember what had happened. The nurse had explained to the team in private that because of whatever Zola had done to Bucky in that room, Bucky’s heats were too intense for him to remember if an alpha wasn’t there to help him through it. She’d told them that he’d been on the edge of heat sickness the entire time and the only thing that had kept him from it had been Steve’s scent on the clothes Morita and Gabe had been bringing him. Steve had stared at the two men at the mess one evening after realizing that that’s why his dirty clothes had been missing each time he came out of the showers that week. They had remained indifferent to his attention though.

Part of Steve had been upset that Bucky didn’t remember. It would have been the perfect way to ask Bucky if he was attracted to him. It seemed like he was, like he felt the same undeniable attraction for Steve that he felt for Bucky. He could have asked him if the omega wanted to explore that attraction, if the omega would allow him to pursue mating with him.

The other part of Steve - the much larger part - was glad that Bucky didn’t remember. Bucky would no doubt be very embarrassed by how he had reacted and Steve didn’t want any more space between them than what he had already forcibly put there. Not to mention that Bucky’s instincts would assume that Steve was rejecting him with how he had reacted when that was so far from the truth. 

After getting Bucky off his lap, Steve had bolted out of the truck as fast as he possibly could. His resolve had been slipping. When he’d gripped onto Bucky’s sides to move him, he almost decided not to. He almost decided that he was going to savor the moment and let Bucky do whatever he wanted, but he couldn’t. He couldn’t let him - Bucky wasn’t in his right mind. Wasn’t able to make the decision of whether or not he really wanted Steve or not.

That didn’t change how much Steve wanted  _ him _ , though. And oh, did Steve want; Steve wanted him more than he wanted anything in his life. He had a habit of wanting things he knew he couldn’t have.

“Can’t sleep?” 

Steve almost jumped a foot in the air, his face turning to see Bucky leaning against the doorway of the shower house. He was completely dressed, but the little bundle of clothes in his left hand meant that he was planning on taking a shower. Steve didn’t think he could handle that. The shower stalls only came about chest height and he didn’t think he could handle seeing Bucky’s chest and knowing he was completely naked below that.

Steve cleared his throat, trying not to blush as he faced back towards the spray of water. “No. My mind's racing after that mission.”

“Yeah, shit was intense.” Bucky agreed, nodding slightly. The omega set his clothes on a bench and moved into a stall just two down from Steve’s before stripping and turning on the water. He turned his face towards the spray, sighing slightly. “What I wouldn’t give for a hot shower… or better yet a bath.”

Steve tried not to think about Bucky in a steamed up shower stall or soaking in a hot bath. He tried not to think about Bucky being just two stalls away from him, naked and wet. Bucky’s scent seemed to permeate every corner of the room, that sweet smell of cinnamon bread. It made Steve’s mouth water. All he could do was hold his breath and hope the omega couldn’t smell his arousal.

“What?” Bucky asked, frowning, “Is there something on my face?” He brushed his cheek before ducking under the water and scrubbing at it.

Steve’s eyes widened, seeing the water cascading down Bucky’s back and shoulders. The low lighting glinted off the streams of liquid and highlighted every muscle it passed over making Bucky look like he was glowing. It was like all the air in the room was sucked out, Steve couldn’t breathe. Bucky looked so beautiful. It was a chore for Steve to stay in his shower stall and not move down to the omega’s. 

“No, sorry.” Steve said dumbly, “just thinking.” 

Bucky looked at him, tilting his head to the side before leaning on the stall wall facing Steve. “Oh yeah? What about?” Bucky asked, seeming genuinely curious. All of Bucky’s attention was on him and the alpha swallowed harshly as they made eye contact. 

“Just….what I could’ve done differently.” Steve answered, making sure to leave out the part about the memories of Bucky’s heat making him hornier than a sixteen year old.

“Why? You did perfectly fine.” 

“If you hadn't seen that sniper, Morita would have a GSW right now.” Steve argued.

“Yeah, but you can’t predict where the enemy will put people and you can’t blame yourself when you miss something. You may be a super-soldier, but you’re still human.”

“He could have gotten hurt, Buck.”

“That’s war. We could all get hurt. Every day we could get hurt or one of us could die. Hell, they could drop a bomb on the base right now and kill us all. You can’t save everyone, Steve, and you can’t hate yourself for the ones you can’t save.” 

Steve clenched his jaw. He’d given up on finishing his shower. Instead, he stood there staring at the only person that he was willing to be weak for, the only person who could ever make him back down. It was an odd feeling, the feeling of wanting to give up. He’d agree with anything Bucky said, he was that far gone.

“You’re right. I know you’re right.” Steve agreed, looking down at his feet. He felt like he’d somehow reverted to that small skinny kid. He always felt small around Bucky, but for once he didn’t mind it. He was impossibly weak for the omega. 

“I’m sorry? Where’s that Rogers fighting spirit? I expected you to put up more of a fight than that.” Bucky teased, nose wrinkling up in amusement. 

“I don’t have to like the fact that you’re right and admitting it doesn’t mean I won’t stop beating myself up, but you’re right.”

Bucky huffed, shaking his head. 

Steve watched as the man reached out of the stall and grabbed a bar of soap he hadn’t noticed before. He started soaping up, the suds building and sliding off his muscles and drawing Steve’s attention to the omega’s body once again. Steve swallowed a lump in his throat, feeling his body begin to heat up as his arousal built. He needed to stop watching, to leave, but for some reason he couldn’t get his feet to work. His mind seemed completely void of any thought but Bucky’s wet soapy skin.

Steve wanted to move down to Bucky’s stall and join him. He wanted to take the soap from Bucky’s hands and help him get clean. He wanted to rub the soap over Bucky’s back as he shoved his face into the omega’s neck and breathed him in. He wanted to work the suds through Bucky’s hair. Everything in him was telling him to go help the omega wash and then help him get incredibly dirty all over again in the most delicious ways.

“There aren’t any showers for omegas?” Steve asked. It was the only thing he could think to say before he accidentally voiced all of his dirty thoughts.

“Well, since there’s only two omegas in this camp they decided it wasn’t worth building a whole other shower house. I normally shower at this time of night and nobody is awake to bother me. But it seems like you had the same idea.” 

“I didn’t know. I’m sorry. I can leave and give you your privacy.” Steve answered, turning off the shower head. He was done anyway.

“You don’t have to.” Bucky said with a smirk, “Just no peeking.”

He knew Bucky was only teasing him, but part of him was glad for the rule. Steve would obey Bucky’s every demand and Bucky telling him not to peek helped to keep him from closing the distance between them. 

“Wouldn’t dream of it.” Steve lied. 

Bucky laughed. 

“I really should be heading to bed. I’ve got a meeting with Peggy in the morning.” Steve sighed, reaching for his pants on the bench near his stall. He wasn’t about to step out of his stall and have Bucky see that he was undeniably turned on by seeing the omega naked, wet, and soapy. He pulled on his pants quickly before grabbing his shirt and pulling it over his head. The fabric stuck to his wet skin, becoming slightly damp, but Steve didn’t mind it, knowing that it would be dry soon thanks to his high body temperature. 

“Planning our next move?”

“Yeah.” Steve answered, sitting down on the bench and pulling on his socks and boots. He didn’t bother tying the laces, knowing that he’d be taking them off as soon as he got back to his tent. 

“Well, make sure you eat breakfast before you meet with her. You’re gonna need all the brain power you can get.” Bucky told him before ducking his head under the water to wash the suds from his hair.

Steve’s heart fluttered a bit. Bucky was trying to take care of him. He wanted to make sure he had all his energy. It was oddly comforting knowing that the omega cared whether or not he ate breakfast. He normally didn’t but he would now that Bucky has told him to.

“Yes sir.” Steve joked, standing up from the bench and walking towards the door. He averted his eyes while passing Bucky’s stall, reminding himself that Bucky had told him not to peek and knowing that if he did look he’d end up in the stall on his knees in seconds. 

He stopped at the door with his back to the omega. He couldn’t help, but take in a deep breath and scent the air, wanting to catch just the slightest whiff of cinnamon bread. He normally tried not to scent the air for Bucky, but tonight it seemed like the only thing that could help him relax.

  
“Be careful. It’s cold outside, can’t have you getting sick.” Steve replied, before leaving the showers quickly.

Steve didn’t slow his pace until he made it to his tent, kicking his boots off and sitting down slowly into the chair at the desk they had supplied him with. He let out a slow breath, finally letting all the thoughts from the night filling his head. 

Bucky had been so close. He’d been right there, naked and beautiful. He could have reached out to him. He could have sat down on that bench and asked Bucky to be his. He could have put all of his fears and pride aside and just told Bucky how he felt. He hadn’t, though. He’d walked away. 

Why is it that Steve could be brave in every other instance but this one? Leading a platoon of men to destroy a Hydra factory? Easy. Almost blowing himself up while driving his motorcycle into a tank? Piece of cake. Telling James Buchanan Barnes that he was helplessly in love with him and would give up everything to become his mate? Impossible.

Bucky always told stories to the rest of the team about times he’d seen Steve be brave as they grew up whenever Steve said anything self-deprecating, but he had no idea how much of a coward Steve really was. If Steve was brave he’d be able to tell the omega that all he’s wanted for the past six months was to court him, to ask him to be his, to take him to bed, and knot him. He’d be able to tell the omega that the reason he couldn’t see anything in Steve’s sketch book was because it was all drawings of him. If only he wasn’t such a coward.   
  


Steve rubbed his right hand through his hair and his left one down his face in exasperation. He needed to stop this. He needed to push away how he felt. It was a distraction that he couldn’t afford. Morita was almost shot because Steve was too busy ogling Bucky as he fought and didn’t notice a sniper. If he hadn’t been lusting over how strong Bucky was he would have seen. He would have noticed.

He let out another sigh, pulling the shirt from his back and moving to lay down on his cot. He needed to sleep. His meeting with Peggy was at o’six-hundred and he couldn’t be late. After blowing out the lantern, he tucked the light wool blanket around himself and attempted some form of sleep.

* * *

_ “Steve.” Bucky laughed as Steve kissed his way down the side of Bucky’s neck, nipping at the skin by his scent gland, “We’re gonna get caught.” _

_   
_ _ Steve had dragged Bucky over behind the mess tent after breakfast and currently had the omega pinned against a stack of supply crates, tasting that cinnamon sweet scent. He grabbed Bucky’s arms and pinned them above the man's head, slipping his leg between the omega’s thighs. Bucky moaned, grinding into it. _

_ “Don’t care.” He answered, sucking a mark on his neck, “You have no idea how good you look. How good you smell.” _

_ Steve moved his hands slowly down Bucky’s strong arms to his waist before sliding them under his green army shirt. He let his hands roam over those strong muscles he’d been lusting over for so long, feeling every curve and dip of Bucky’s body. He couldn’t wait to have Bucky’s strong thighs wrapped around his waist as he slammed into him. _

_ “Steve,” Bucky moaned, sliding his fingers into Steve’s hair. _

_   
_ _ He could smell the sweet scent of Bucky’s slick as he slid his hands down to cup the omega’s tight ass. The scent mixed with Bucky’s usual cinnamon bread, making him smell like freshly baked cinnamon rolls. It took almost all of Steve’s restraint not to turn Bucky around, strip him, and shove his face into the omega’s tight heat to taste it. _

_ The seat of Bucky’s pants was almost completely soaked, reminding Steve of when the omega had been in heat. Only this time, Steve could touch him. Could make him feel good. It was exhilarating knowing that he finally could. _

_   
_ _ “Stevieee,” Bucky whined, grinding harder against the alpha’s leg while also trying to grind back into his hands.  _ _   
  
_

_ Steve lifted him up and Bucky was quick to wrap his legs around him. He placed his nose back into the omega’s neck right above his scent gland, breathing in as he moved their bodies together in tandem. The friction was amazing on the alpha’s aching cock, the omega’s scent causing him to grind down harder. Bucky just moaned and Steve could tell he was letting himself go to the feeling of the pleasure. _

_ “Feel so good, Buck.” Steve groaned, wrapping one arm around the omega’s waist and moving the other one up the back of his shirt to feel the taut muscles of his back, “So good, baby.” _ _   
  
_

_ Bucky let out a sound between a groan and a whine as he tried to pull Steve closer, his head rolling back and mouth falling open. “Stevie, please. Oh god, please.” _

_ “Please what, Buck?” _

_ Bucky moaned, pulling slightly on Steve’ hair. “Fuck me. Knot me. Please.” He whined. _

_ Steve groaned, both his hands moving back down to Bucky’s ass again and sliding under the fabric of the omega’s pants and underwear. He could feel the slick on his fingers; Bucky was impossibly wet. He was so wet that Steve could slide in with no prep if he wanted to. He wouldn’t because Steve wasn’t exactly average sized anymore due to the serum, but he could. He let a finger trace around the omega’s rim, teasing him and testing. _

_   
_ _ The omega nearly sobbed at the sensation, trying to chase it with his hips. “Please, alpha.” _

_   
_ _ Steve’s breath hitched, the acknowledgement of his designation causing a jolt to go straight to his knot. Bucky was calling him his alpha. Bucky was begging him to take care of him. He nodded into Bucky’s neck, letting all forms of thought slip away as he nuzzled into Bucky’s neck. “My omega.” He growled, opening his mouth, placing it one Bucky’s scent gland, and - _

_   
_ Boom!

Steve jolted awake at the sound of the morning cannon and the trumpet playing reveille, rolling off the cot and onto the canvas cover that blanketed the floor. He groaned into the ground. He’d hoped it was real, wanted to go back to sleep and continue where he left off, but he knew that wasn’t possible. Dreams never worked that way.

He let out a low whine, pushing himself up to sit and stared at the wooden desk in his tent. The erection caused by the dream was making itself known against the zipper of his trousers and he was sure that the people in the tents around him could smell his arousal. Thank god, that the team’s tent was a good six tents away. He didn’t know what he’d do if they’d realized he had a wet dream like some sixteen year old newly presented pup. Dugan would probably latch onto it and use it as a way to humiliate him for the next three years.  _ ‘Remember that time Cap had that wet dream?’ _ He’d say, ‘ _ Who’d you dream about, Cap? Huh?’ _

Steve would do anything to avoid questions like that.

He sat for a moment, trying to think of anything unpleasant that would help to calm him down. He had his meeting with Peggy soon and he couldn’t go smelling like an alpha about to pop a knot. 

When he’d gotten his problem under control, he pulled himself up from his sitting position and went to his pack that sat in the corner of his tent, digging through the green canvas bag to pull out a fresh pair of underwear and a new set of clothes. The scent of his excitement had permeated the uniform he was wearing and he needed to change so he didn’t embarrass himself.

He changed quickly, wanting to be able to get to the mess hall and grab breakfast before his meeting as Bucky had instructed the night before. When he was finally dressed and had his boots on, he pushed the canvas door cover of his tent aside to find Dugan standing there with a shit eating grin. His face went bright red.

“Hiya, Cap. Good dream?” He smirked.

Steve swallowed thickly, schooling his features into an unaffected frown. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“Sure ya don’t, Rogers.”

Steve rolled his eyes, walking past the man and heading for the mess hall. “How long were you standing there?”

“Long enough….” Dugan smirked.

  
Steve didn’t justify that with a reply. Dugan followed him all the way to the breakfast ration line and stood behind him. Steve was given his two breakfast MREs and went to look for an empty place to sit so he could relax before his meeting with Peggy. He just wanted some quiet for a bit before he had to focus on strategies and military movements.

  
The universe didn’t seem to be on his side today though as Dugan came to sit beside him.

  
“You never eat breakfast, Cap. At least not with the rest of us. What’s got ya doing it today?” Dugan asked, another sly smirk sliding onto his face, “Build up an appetite in your sleep?”

  
Steve glared at him. “No. I have a meeting this morning to plan our next Hydra base attack and figured I’d eat breakfast so I could be at my best.”

  
Dugan didn’t need to know that Steve was actually following an order given to him by Bucky. He didn’t need to know that Steve would rather yank out his own teeth than disappoint the omega. Even if Dugan had some idea of the way Steve felt about him, he wasn’t about to confirm it.

  
“Uh huh.” Dugan answered, his eyebrows raising slightly and his tone showing that he didn’t believe Steve at all.

  
Steve just shoved another spoon of the awful tasting MRE into his mouth. If his mouth was full then Dugan wouldn’t be able to trick him into saying something stupid or revealing. It was a fool proof plan.

  
Dugan laughed, leaning closer and lowering his voice, “Don’t worry, Cap. I ain’t gonna tell the Sarge.”

Steve choked on his food. His eyes went wide as he whipped around to look at Dugan. He didn’t think Dugan would actually say anything confirming he knew about Steve’s attraction either. Sure the man had wiggled his eyebrows a bit or made a suggesting expression every now and then, but he didn’t expect the man to just call him out like that. He thought it’d been a non-verbal agreement that they’d just not talk about it. 

Steve couldn’t say anything, his skin going bright red as he felt a blush covering his features. Instead, he stood up and rushed away from the man while taking the last bite of his second MRE and throwing it away. He passed Bucky in his rush, the man watched him go before making his way over to Dugan.

  
“What’s wrong with the Cap?” Bucky asked the other man.

  
“Hell if I know.” Dugan lied.

* * *

After a quick stop in his own tent to calm his bright red face, Steve made his way to Colonel Phillips' tent in a huff. The Colonel himself would not be at the meeting - currently swamped with paperwork due to a large group of soldiers that had recently moved to the front lines - so it’d just be Peggy and Steve. He was glad to finally get some time with his friend, knowing that she’d be the only person currently that he could talk to about his most pressing issue.

  
Peggy was the only confidant he had since he’d told her about rescuing Bucky and the rest of the 107th. As much as she laughed at him for his own dumb behavior, she helped him out a lot. Being an omega herself, she was a fount of advice on how to deal with his undeniable attraction to Bucky.

“Good morning, Steve.” Peggy said as Steve entered the tent. She stood facing him, a large table with a map between them. The table already had all the preexisting Hydra bases that Steve had pointed out marked with little figures - minus the ones they had managed to destroy - and the supply routes from the book that Bucky had found were now marked in bright red.

Steve gave Peggy a smile, coming to stand right next to the table and look down on it. “Good morning, Peg. How’d your night go?”

  
Peggy gave him a devilish smirk. “Better than yours I am sure.”

  
Steve briefly wondered if Peggy somehow knew what he had dreamed during the night. He wondered if she knew he’d woken up harder than a rock and craving a cinnamon scent that he couldn’t have. He forced the thought away though. There was no way she could know after all. Just like there was no way Dugan knew anything either. Neither of them knew about the dream he’d lock away until the day he died.

  
“I couldn’t sleep for a bit. I kept replaying what had happened on the mission. Things I could have done differently.”

  
“I couldn’t sleep either. Although for more pleasant reasons.” Peggy giggled.

  
“Peggy? Did you meet a dame at the dance hall last night? Do I need to give an unsuspecting alpha the shovel talk?”

  
“Oh, wouldn’t that be a sight to behold. I can see the headlines now:  _ Captain America lays Claim on Omega Agent Peggy Carter by Challenging Alpha in Street _ .”

  
“That’s kinda a long title, Pegs. Besides, I wouldn’t let the press see me.”   
  


Peggy let out a short laugh, shaking her head at him while rolling her eyes. This was how many of their conversations went, back and forth banter until one gave up or fell into silence. It was easy and calming, something Steve had longed for growing up - a friend to tease him and joke with. He’d had a lonely childhood, too sick to go out and play with the other kids in the neighborhood and a social pariah after he presented as an alpha. He was glad to have found a friend in Peggy, even before he had become Captain America.

“Thank you Steve, but I can take care of myself.”

  
“Oh, I don’t doubt it. I never said I’d be the one with the shovel.”

Peggy laughed again. “Alright, this meeting is not of a personal matter and with formalities out of the way, we must get planning.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

  
They fell into strategy then, bouncing ideas off each other left and right. Steve loved these kinds of meetings. It was nice to have someone who could match him in strategic planning, someone else who could see the holes in his ideas and wasn’t afraid to point them out. Out in the field that was often Falsworth’s job; whenever a mission went awry or when new information forced them to come up with a new approach, Falsworth was always the man Steve looked to. Bucky may be his second when it came to command, but Falsworth had the background and view of a strategist.

  
Three hours had passed and as the plan became more and more cemented, Steve found his mind drifting to Bucky. He couldn’t help but think about what the man might be doing. Would he be using his off time to nap? Write letters to his family? Maybe Morita had managed to rope him into a game of cards in hopes to steal his cigarette rations? He wished he knew how the omega was feeling at the moment. Was he happy? Sad? Homesick?

Steve desperately wished he had the courage to ask the omega to mate him. If they were mated then Steve would already know what the man was feeling at every moment. He’d feel it through his bond mark, as if the feelings were his own. He’d be able to make sure that the omega was happy and healthy. That’s all Steve wanted for him.

  
“Steve? Steve, are you listening?” Peggy’s voice asked, breaking him from his train of thought.

  
Steve shook his head before focusing his eyes on her. “I’m sorry, we’ve been at this for awhile. My mind is starting to wander.”

“Well the plan is pretty solid now. I believe we can call it a day now.” Peggy said, removing her hands from the map table and straightening her stance. She scanned the map one last time before giving it one last curt nod and looking up at Steve. “Alright, what’s got you so distracted.”

  
“It’s nothin’, Peg.”

  
“Steven Grant Rogers, do not lie to me.” Peggy reprimanded, placing her hands on her slim hips. She reminded Steve of his mother when he would lie about eating the last cookie or how he got a new shiner. It was a comforting feeling as much as it was intimidating. “Is this about… a certain omega?”

“It seems the more I try to stay away from him, the harder it gets. All I want to do is touch him, kiss him, hold him. I can’t do any of that, Peg”

  
“And why can’t you?”

  
“Because he wouldn’t want that. He wouldn’t want to mate me and I don’t think I could settle for just messin’ around. Not with him.”

“Well have you asked him?”

  
“Of course not.”

Peggy let out a loud sigh, her scent turning slightly sour with annoyance. Bucky’s scent never did that. Even when he was annoyed he smelled like the most perfect thing on the planet. Steve’s mind flashed back to the cinnamon roll scent from his dream. The way his mind made Bucky taste just like that delectable scent.

“I swear, you can be the most stubborn, thick headed, alpha male I have ever met.” Peggy sighed. 

She didn’t get to say much more than that as the canvas of the strategy tent opened to reveal Dugan and Morita coming in with matching smiles. Steve was sure they had to have at least heard a little bit of the conversation, but decided that he would refuse to acknowledge it without being called out completely.

  
“Colonel Phillips told us that Stark wants the team to head over to get outfitted for our new gear. It’s getting colder out now that it’s September and he’s got some warmer stuff for us.” Dugan announced.

  
“Apparently the media has taken to calling us The Howling Commandos. I blame Dugan. If he hadn’t howled like a dog that one night on our leave we might have gotten a better name.” Morita huffed.

  
Dugan smirked. “I was announcing my presence to omegas.”

  
“You were drunk and acting like an animal.”

  
Steve rolled his eyes at their antics. The two were constantly bickering, but he knew that in the heat of battle they’d both take a bullet for each other. They were brothers. They didn’t agree on everything, but they agreed on that.

  
Peggy and Steve followed them out of the tent. The two of men were too busy bickering to care what Steve had to say about the meeting with Stark. It’d been awhile since Steve had seen the other alpha - not since he was jumping out of the man’s plan as they were being fired at from below. Stark was too busy when they had originally been outfitted for the past two missions, so they’d been tended to by some of his employees. Steve could admit he considered the other man a friend even if they had only met a few times.   
  


The small group made it halfway through the camp before they were joined by Falsworth, Gabe, and Dernier. The other three men gave Peggy a polite nod before jumping into Morita and Dugan's conversation without a single care. All of the men ganged up on Dugan, ribbing him and riling him up.

  
It wasn’t until they made it to the cleanest tent in camp with the words  _ Stark Industries  _ printed on the side, that they were met by Bucky. The omega sat on a crate, a cigarette in one hand as he took a deep puff. It seemed like he’d been waiting for them or maybe he had already been there for a while. He looked up, throwing the cigarette to the ground and stomping it out.

  
“Took ya long enough.” He said, standing up as they came to meet him.

  
“Cap and Agent Carter were having a pretty interesting conversation. We stood outside the tent until we felt it right to go in.” Dugan said, sending a smirk towards Steve.   


  
Steve glared at him. He felt like grabbing Dugan and shaking him. The man needed to stop making jokes like that in front of Bucky. It was the last thing Steve needed for Bucky to realize he was in love with him. They are in a war zone. They didn’t need the distraction of contemplating a mating.    


  
Steve was secretly willing to admit that was just another excuse for him not to say anything.   


  
“Why are you here early?” Gabe asked, “Looks like you’ve been here a bit.”   


  
“I have been. I was getting my suppressants refilled at the med tent. Figured if this next mission is as long as the last then I’d need to make sure the bottle’s full.” Bucky replied.   


  
Steve’s face grew a little hot remembering Bucky on his lap once again and the dream he had had the night prior. Gabe looked as though he regretted asking. Sure, the men had all seen Bucky go through a heat before, but it didn’t make it any less uncomfortable to ask about something so private. Of course Dugan didn’t seem to care.   


  
“Good, last thing we need is for you to be grinding all over Cap’s lap.” The man said.   


  
Morita aimed a punch into Dugan’s side. They had all agreed not to mention what had happened when Bucky’s heat had begun. The Sergeant didn’t need to know that he had given into his baser instincts and tried to get Steve to mate him. It would only make their missions even more awkward than it already was with Steve’s unrequited attraction.   


  
“What?” Bucky asked, confused.   


  
“You know… Just cause he’s definitely the most suitable alpha.” Gabe tried to cover.   


  
Bucky’s eyebrows scrunched up in suspicion and he tilted his head a bit. His eyes swept over the men, but didn’t even pass over Steve. The alpha was grateful for that since he was bright red and if Bucky looked at him he might run away.   


  
“Uh huh.” Bucky said, his eyes narrowing slightly.   


  
“Alright, leave it to men to be stupid.” Peggy murmured, pushing her way through the group before more loudly proclaiming, “Howard is waiting for us and we all know how he gets when he doesn’t have enough time to work on something. In we go.” She held the canvas flap of the tent open and tried to usher them in with a commanding wave of her hand. 

The men did as they were told, heading in in rows of two. Steve and Bucky were the last to enter, the omega coming to stand beside him. Steve could almost feel the man’s body heat radiating through the small gap between them. The cinnamon sweet scent wrapped around Steve as they stood side by side. Steve wanted to hold his breath, but even with his new super soldier lungs he knew he wouldn’t be able to hold it for the whole meeting.   
  


“Did you eat breakfast?” Bucky asked.   


  
Steve’s heart pounded in his chest at the fact that the omega remembered the command from the night before. Dugan’s right ear turned slightly towards them and Steve could see the alpha’s dumb smirk accompanied by the rise on his bushy red eyebrow. He wanted to smack him, but instead he answered the omega by his side. The need for Bucky’s approval outweighed Steve’s annoyance. “Yes.”

“Good.” Bucky answered back.   
  


“Is that the Honeysuckle sweet scent of Peggy Carter?!” They heard someone yell across the tent. The sea of scientists parted to reveal Howard Stark, his hair perfectly cut and clothes well-pressed and starched without a speck of dirt - something that only helped to make Stark stick out like a sore thumb.

  
“Howard.” Peggy replied, unimpressed by his flirting with her. “We’re here for the winter gear you promised.”

  
“Of course, of course. Can’t an alpha have a little fun first?” Howard asked, coming to stand in front of their small group.

Steve pushed forward to the front of the group in an effort to take charge and to escape Bucky’s heady scent. He stopped at the front, crossing his arms looking down on the other alpha. Since the serum Steve had become taller than most people, but he never usually stood to his full size unless he was on the battlefield. He preferred to curl in on himself and get as small as he can so as to not intimidate the others around him, especially with three alphas as part of his team.

  
Howard was a different case. Steve liked the man - considering him a friend - but sometimes he needed to use his size to intimidate him into shutting up before he said something that pissed off the wrong person. Stark’s mouth was just asking for trouble.

  
“Alright, alright. I get it.” Stark said, rolling his eyes and waving his hand.

  
Steve leveled him with another unimpressed expression and a raised brow. “Show us the gear, yeah Howard? I’d like to get this done before dinner and I know that ain’t happenin’ if we don’t hurry.”

  
Stark rolled his eyes again and Steve couldn’t help but wish the alpha’s face would get stuck like that. It’d serve him right. The man waved them forwards towards a workbench made of plywood, on top of which sat a collection of crates with numbers painted regimentally on each side.

  
Stark motioned another man to grab a crowbar and waited as a large crate on the floor was popped open. Stark waved the man away without so much as a thank you before reaching into the crate and pulling out a gun.

The gun looked like any other rifle Steve had seen, but with Howard he had learned to not expect things to be as they were. The top of the rifle had a green scope and a grip on the handle that seemed to be a bit too small for Stark’s hand. Steve could already tell that it was a sniper rifle.

  
“Sergeant Barnes, you requested a sniper rifle. Here she is.” Stark said, handing the weapon with the barrel facing the sky to Bucky who had pushed his way through the team.

Bucky took the rifle and Steve watched as the omega scrutinized it with quick careful hands, checking the scope and the barrel to make sure they were aligned. He stayed silent, pointing the weapon up to the sky and looking through the scope once again.

  
“Seems like she’s good.” he replied, his scent taking on the cooling scent of contentment.

  
Howard smiled a little too widely at the omega’s approval. Steve felt the need to grab Bucky, hug him close, and growl. To guard what his alpha hindbrain had claimed as his. He didn’t though, instead he stepped out in front of Bucky and looked to Howard with a questioning gaze.

“You get what I asked for?” Steve asked, his voice gruff.

  
“Impatience. I swear.” Howard said, shaking his head. He reached and pulled out a modified version of Steve’s original uniform.

  
It was the same red, white, and blue only now it actually looked combat ready. The chest portion and abdomen were covered in what looked like metal plating. The white and red were darker and a bit more dull in effort of not standing out as much. Steve would never truly blend in, but it’d be nice not to be picked out from three miles away anymore.

  
“It’s got titanium plating on the chest and abdominal area as well as the back, sides, and groin. Unfortunately I couldn’t put plating on the rear because it’ll restrict your movement too much and we all know how much you like to do those damn acrobatic moves.” Howard said, “How about you try it on, there’s a partition over there.

Steve moved in the direction that Howard had waved, glancing back one more time to see the man digging back inside the crate and handing things to other members of his team, before  going behind the partition. He changed quickly, folding his clothes as he went before coming back out with the stack of clothing in his hand and his brand new suit on.

  
The suit felt just as tight as the one before, but it was still lightweight despite all of the plating. It hugged every curve of his body and Steve wondered if Howard had purposefully made the waist just a tad too small so the fabric stretched over his ass like a second skin. He felt uncomfortable in such tight clothing, but he knew he could just throw on a pair of cargo pants like before and a heavy jacket for winter.

Steve broke away from his focus to look up and see that the entire tent had gone silent. Everyone was staring at him. He forced down the feeling of claustrophobia that came with so many prying eyes before straightening his shoulders and an unaffected look on his face, his chin jutted up slightly.

  
“It looks ridiculous, don’t it?”

The team just continued to stare at him. 

“Alright, I’ll stick with the ol-”

“Don’t you dare.” Bucky said, cutting him off.

The team turned to look at the omega instead, eyebrows raised. Steve tilted his head at him, confused by the man’s sudden hostility towards Steve wearing the older outfit. Steve thought Bucky liked the old outfit - that is why he kept it after all.

Bucky’s face reddened a bit, “The other suit doesn’t have any plating and I don’t think any of us are too keen on dragging you through a warzone to get you medical attention.” 

“Besides,” Peggy smiled, “You look very attractive in that. It’s very… tight.”

  
Steve sighed and attempted to cover up his blush. He knew Peggy meant it in her usual honest and friendly way, but he never was good at taking a compliment. “Fine.”

The tent filled with sound again as everyone went back to work, like a spell had been broken somehow. Howard came to stand beside Steve, turning him this way and that. He asked Steve all sorts of questions about the fit and if the groin cup was uncomfortable.

  
Steve told him it was fine, that the costume was comfortable and there was no reason for worrying about it. They wouldn’t know for sure if the plating worked until somebody tried to shoot him after all. Steve was handed a new canvas pack as well and he slid his clothes into it, deciding that he’d change out of the costume later.

  
Once Howard was done fussing over Steve, he moved to the rest of the team. Morita got a new med kit with supplies, it even had a compartment labeled ‘just for Steve’ which carried higher doses of things for if Steve got shot or stabbed. Dugan got a helmet that looked exactly like a bowler hat - Howard had argued with him during summer outfitting, but the man refused to get rid of his hat so Howard found a loophole. Gabe got a brand new communications device that could work longer ranges. Dernier got fresh explosives that Peggy had told him he wasn’t allowed to touch until their next mission. Last but not least, Falsworth got a new pistol. They were all loaded up with winter gear and new packs as well. 

By the end of the meeting, Steve was beat. All he wanted to do was go back to his tent and collapse into his cot. The lack of sleep from the night before was catching up with him, his eyes blinking shut more often. He’s pretty sure he only got three or four hours of shut-eye before he was woken by the cannon.

“Alright, men - and the gorgeous Agent Carter - I believe that’s all I have for you. Except for this.” Howard said, throwing pill bottles at Steve, Dugan, Dernier, and Falsworth, “They’re suppressants for your ruts. I know you can work through them for the most part, but these will keep them from coming so you aren’t even more uncomfortable on that battlefield. If you keep takin’ ‘em you should be fine as long as Sergeant Barnes there keeps taking his and doesn’t have a heat that sends you into rut.”

The alphas caught their respective bottles, Steve’s was much larger than the rest of theirs but he knew it was because he’d have to take higher doses. They all nodded to Howard before being shoved out of the tent with all their gear.

  
“Time for chow!” Dugan cheered.

  
“I hope it ain’t spam again.” Morita grumbled.

  
“ _ Le spam est dégoûtant et je ne sais pas comment vous les Américains le mangez _ .” Dernier followed with.

Gabe laughed, “He doesn’t like the Spam either. He’s got no idea how we manage to eat it.” 

“I hold my breath and try not to smell it.” Falsworth tells him.

“I’m beat. I think I’m just gonna head back to my tent for the night.” Steve says.

  
The team nodded before marching off towards the mess. Steve split off, making his way towards his tent. Soldiers stop and salute him and he stops to return each one as protocol demands. He wished they wouldn’t do that though. He may have earned the title after receiving it, but a part of him felt like he didn’t fully deserve it yet. He hasn’t seen the same horrors that these men have; hasn’t been knee deep in mud in the trenches or clomping through no man’s land. He climbed into a chamber and came out strong. He didn’t earn any of it.

  
Once inside his tent, he tossed his gear down and peeled the tight suit off his body. He didn’t bother to put more clothes on, instead he grabbed a sketch book and a pencil and collapsed onto his cot in only his briefs. He flipped through the pages filled with different drawings of Bucky, his mind coming back to the dream he had had the night before. It replayed Bucky’s groans and whimpers, all the filthy sounds his mind had come up with on it’s own but nevertheless turned him on. All he wanted was to hear those sounds again, for real. 

He closed the sketch book, tossing it and the pencil onto the ground beside the bed. His eyes focused on the canvas ceiling of his tent, his mind replaying the moment he stepped out from behind that partition. Bucky had reprimanded him for wanting to go back to his old outfit and he knew it was because the old suit didn’t have as much protection, but he wished it was because the omega thought he looked good like Peggy had said. It was a foolish wish, but still something he couldn’t help.

“Steve?” Bucky’s voice echoed from the door of the tent. He hadn’t opened it, but Steve could smell his presence.

“Yeah, Buck? Everything okay?”

  
“Yeah, everything's fine, can I come in?”

“Hold on, I’m not decent yet.” He answered, a blush rising on his cheeks at the thought of Bucky in his tent with him while he was barely dressed. It’s something Steve desperately wanted but knew was too dangerous a move.

He grabbed his new pack, pulling out his clothes from before and putting them on before pushing open the door flap. Bucky stood just beyond the opening, two brown paper sacks in his hands.

  
“I brought your rations.” The omega said, walking past and into the tent. He set the two paper bags on the desk before plopping down in the chair beside it. 

Steve watched him warily. They were alone and Steve couldn’t think straight when they were alone, not to mention he was already aroused from his train of thought right before the omega arrived. “Thanks, Buck.”

  
“No thanks needed. You’re a super-soldier. You need to eat.” He shrugged.

  
Steve nodded slowly, taking the bags off the desk and moving to sit on his cot. Inside each bag was a can of Spam, some crackers, and an instant coffee packet. He pulled the Spam out and a spoon, eating slowly. The feeling of Bucky’s eyes on him filled his mind as he took every bite. The silence was uncomfortable, strained. Steve wondered if the man planned on sitting there until he was completely finished.

  
“Did something happen during my heat?”

Steve almost choked on his food, his face going bright red. He looked up at Bucky with wide eyes. “What?” 

“Dugan said something about me grinding on your lap before our meeting with Stark.”

An internal battle raged inside of Steve’s head. He had two choices: tell Bucky what happened and reveal that he was attracted to him or deny everything. He wanted to go with the latter, everything inside him wished he could, but unfortunately he knew that wouldn’t be right. Bucky had asked and he’d be an awful human being if he’d lied.

  
“We didn’t want to embarrass you. We settled on a ‘don’t ask don’t tell’ agreement. If you didn’t ask, we wouldn’t tell.”

  
“Embarrass me?”

Steve gulped. “When you started your heat, I… Well I heard you whimpering, thought maybe you had gotten hurt and hid it until it got too much or somethin’. I put my hand on your shoulder and you… reacted. You climbed into my lap and started beggin’ me.

  
“Begging you?” Bucky narrowed his eyes.

  
“I pushed you off, gently. Told Gabe to get driving back to base and ran ahead to warn Phillips.” Steve promised, “I couldn’t take advantage of you like that. Wouldn’t be right.”  _ Because I love you too much.  _ Steve only thought that last part in his head. He wanted to say it, wanted to shout it, but instead he shoved another spoonful of food into his mouth.

  
“But you wanted to?” Bucky asked, tilting his head with a curious expression.

  
“The med tent told you that you smelled twice as strong as any other omega in heat, didn’t they?”

“Well yeah.”

Steve stared down at his feet, “You smelled good, Buck. Real good.”

  
They were quiet for a moment. Bucky stood taking a few steps towards Steve, stopping halfway across the tent from him. Steve turned bright red, keeping his eyes on the canvas ground cover. Bucky’s scent changed slightly, the slightest hint of arousal. Steve wanted to pounce him, wanted to toss his rations in the trash and eat Bucky out instead.

  
“We all thought you smelled good. Even Morita.” Steve floundered, trying to cover his admission.

  
Bucky took a few steps closer, just out of Steve’s reach now. Steve dropped his spoon into the empty can. He felt hot, positive he was blushing from head to toe. His own arousal mixed with Bucky’s in the small tent. A shuttery breath left his lungs as Bucky took one last step and he dropped the can.

  
“Hey, Cap.” A voice sounded and Gabe pushed his way into the tent.

Bucky stayed where he stood, but Steve jumped to his feet in surprise. He wanted to hug the beta, hell maybe even kiss him, for saving him from the sexual tension filling air. The scent of their lust no doubt filled the space and Steve was sure that with how strong Bucky’s scent was they could smell it outside, too.

“Oh Sarge!” Gabe cheered as though he didn’t already know Bucky was inside with Steve, “I was gonna see if Cap wanted to join the poker game in our tent. Dugan was sent to find you and invite you, but I found you first. What’d ya say?”

“That sounds like a great idea.” Steve said quickly, grabbing his jacket. When he was sure Bucky couldn’t see him he sent Gabe a thankful look. If the man hadn’t arrived when he did, the last of Steve’s resolve would have crumbled into dust. He was seconds away from grabbing the omega and scenting him. He knew Bucky was aroused as well and it seemed like the omega wouldn’t mind it, but it would have been a really bad idea. If they started Steve didn’t know if he could stop until he marked the omega and confessed his love. The last thing he needed was for what Bucky would surely think of as a little bit of fun to turn into an impromptu mating.

  
Gabe smiled and rolled his eyes.

“Coming Buck?” Steve asked.

Bucky turned to the desk with an unreadable look on his face, picking up the second ration he had brought Steve and pushing it into Steve's chest. “Yeah, but you still gotta finish the rest of your chow before I take all your money.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bucky might be catching on to Stevie's infatuation..... uh oh!


	4. I Fuck Myself Up Every Time I Try

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In case it isn't clear after reading I'll give you my reasoning for the chapter title in my end notes...
> 
> Yo, so it’s my birthday today! Here’s my present to share with y’all. This chapter is about 7.6K words. I know it’s not my usual 9K, but as I said, chapters are going to start getting shorter as this story progresses. I promise that chapters will never be shorter than 6K though. Also, updates are gonna start being done once every two weeks because the Shrunkyclunks (Cap!Steve/Modern!Bucky) Bang is starting up soon and I need to start working on my fic for that too. I’ll still be updating this one, it’ll just be slightly slower… If anything changes I’ll let y’all know!
> 
> I’m taking the CA:TFA Howlies Montage and using it as my mission source material, but I’m taking each scene of it in a different order. If you watch that you’ll see that a few scenes from the montage will happen before ones that they were supposed to happen after. My only reply to that is that I’m using them in the order I want.
> 
> Thanks for Reading! Hope you like it!*

Bucky stared down the barrel of his sniper rifle at the destroyed town down below. He could see Steve walking around through the enhanced scope that Stark had given him. The town was recently hit by Hydra and Steve was supposed to be cautious while looking for any possible surviving civilians, but the alpha still seemed to have no regard for his own safety. 

Bucky’s thought was proven when a Hydra soldier popped up from behind a brick wall, he shot him quickly watching as his body tumbled down and hit the ground near Steve. He saw Steve’s eyes went wide as he looked down at the body before the alpha looked up at him and gave him a salute. Bucky let out a slow breath and emptied the bullet casing from the chamber of his rifle before prepping it again and looking through the scope again.

He’d noticed recently that his eyesight has become better than before. He’d always had above average eyesight for an omega, but lately he was able to see distances and detect movements that only Steve would be able to see. It was making him nervous, but he didn’t dare tell anyone for fear that they’d take him off the team so they could run tests on him.

He didn’t want to leave the Howlies. They’d slowly become a second family to him and he couldn’t bear to be so far away from them while they were in danger. He couldn’t bear to be so far away from Steve. 

He knew Steve thought of himself as invincible due to the serum and his quick healing rate - the military seemed to agree with him, putting Steve into dangerous situations they wouldn’t dare leave to a normal soldier - but Bucky knew better. Even with Steve’s impressive ability to heal quickly, hit harder, and run farther, he was still human. He still bled like any other man. He could still pass out from dehydration, starvation, or sleep deprivation. He may have the ‘super-serum’ but at the end of it all Steve was still a man. It seemed like Bucky was the only person who believed that.

His eyesight wasn’t the only thing getting better. His sense of smell had also increased dramatically which was a blessing and a curse.

He’d first noticed his heightened sense of smell the day after Steve and he had the conversation about the start of his heat. It started with small things like being able to tell what was being served for chow that day even though he was across the base from the mess hall. Then, he started to be able to smell the change in people’s scents based on their emotions, something that most alphas couldn’t even do. It was most awful around Steve. He could smell the change in the alpha’s scent as his emotions changed. Now Bucky knew that when he was sassy or held his own in battle and Steve stared at him, it wasn’t surprise or anger that the alpha was feeling but arousal.

He knew that Steve was attracted to him now. He knew that the alpha liked his scent from their conversation about his heat, but now he knew that Steve wanted him. 

The only thing between them now was Agent Peggy Carter. She was the only reason Bucky could think of that would keep Steve from acting on his arousal for him. Bucky knew that if the alpha wasn’t courting her then he probably would have knotted Bucky by now. He figured that Steve was choosing Peggy despite his obvious attraction to him and god did that only make Bucky hate her more.

That in itself was a problem as well. Peggy Carter was a hard woman to hate. She was kind and caring but at the same time strong willed and determined. If she wasn’t currently the one who had captured the attention of the alpha that Bucky wanted, he could see himself being friends with her. She didn’t let people hold her back and she didn’t let alphas and betas boss her around. She didn’t play into the stereotype that omegas needed to be soft, gentle, nurturing, and unable to care for themselves. 

Bucky wanted to be her friend and that made hating her all that much harder. He loved the Howlies, but it had been awhile since he’d had any form of omega companionship. Not to mention the fact that they would never understand what it was like for him being an omega in a war full of alphas and betas. Peggy would. Peggy would be able to listen and understand when Bucky ranted about some knothead who had been an asshole to him.

It sucked that he had to hate her. It really did.

A whistle sounded, the signal that the town was clean and Bucky could come down from his perch on the hill. He stood quickly, dusting the dirt off his jacket and pants before slinging his rifle over his shoulder with the strap and climbing down the hill gently. 

When he finally made it to the crumbled town, he could see the Howlies all grouped together in the middle of the main street. The town was desolate, not a single dead body - besides the hydra soldier Bucky shot - or soul around. A thick layer of dust had settled itself upon every surface, even the air was thick with it. The thing that stood out most however was the complete and utter silence. It was like the entire world had been put on pause. There were no birds, no crickets, not even the sound of an airplane going over heard. It was all frozen. Not even the Howlies dared to make a sound for fear that even just a cough would set the world in motion faster than any of them could react and get them killed.

Bucky wondered why that Hydra soldier had been there. Why was he alone in a barren pile of rubble? Was he left here as a possible look out? Were there more hiding around and Steve and the rest of the Howlies had missed them? 

“Sarge?” Dugan asked, placing a hand on Bucky’s soldier.

Bucky jumped slightly before composing himself. “It’s so quiet. Where is everyone? Why was that hydra soldier alone?”

Dugan shrugged, “Not sure.”

“It doesn’t seem right.” Bucky said, scanning the rubble with his eyes. There was something wrong here. No soldier was ever left alone. There was a possibility that he was a scout or possibly he was left behind with a radio so that he could warn nearby Hydra platoons when Captain America and the Howlies appeared in this town like they no doubt would.

“You’re right, Buck.” Steve said, “Something’s not right here.”

“Maybe the soldier got knocked out during the fight and they assumed he was dead?” Morita suggested.

“Where are the other bodies then? I do not think that they would clean away all the deceased and leave just him behind.” Falsworth argued.

“Did anyone look where he was hiding before I shot him? Above that brick wall?”

The men shook their heads and Bucky sighed, heading in that direction. He made it to the body before Steve’s sandalwood scent spiked slightly, something that happened when the alpha worried.

“Dugan, go with Bucky and check that out.” Steve ordered.

Bucky kept his back to the group, hiding a sigh and a roll of his eyes. He hated the fact that Steve worried about him, especially since the alpha had made it clear that he didn’t want him. It was unreasonable to hate it though, knowing that Steve would have acted the same if it had been anyone else on the team walking off alone as well.

Once Dugan had made it to him, Bucky began walking again. They walked quietly, keeping an eye out for any possible hostels with their hand guns drawn. It didn’t take long for them to get to the place the hydra soldier had been when Bucky had shot him. A pile of German c-rations sat in the corner of the dust destroyed building, a blanket stretched out beside them, a canteen, and a box of bullets.

“Looks like a makeshift guards post.” Dugan commented, kicking the blanket up with his foot.

“Yeah, I think he was left here to keep watch. But why?” Bucky replied.

“You thinkin’ they knew we were comin’?”

“Hard not to. We’ve been takin’ down supply depots, supply roads, and factories for a while now. Haven’t hit home base in a good six months or so. It’s not like we’re bein’ quiet about our presents.”

“You thinkin’ we tell Cap we gotta slow down a bit?” Dugan suggested, picking up the c-rations and shoving them in his pack.

Bucky picked up the carton of bullets, seeing that they were the same size that Gabe’s gun required and figured the man would be happy for the extra. “Yeah. We might need to double back to the main base. We’re getting too predictable.”

“You think he’s gonna go for that?”

Bucky tilted his head, letting a mischievous smirk slide onto his handsome features, “I’ll just tell the Cap I’m runnin’ low on suppressants. That’ll get him hightailin’ it back to base.”

Dugan let out a laugh.

The conversation ended there as both the men began to search the area for any other information about why the soldier had been here. Bucky glanced around a partly crumbled doorway into a small square room. The ceiling of the room had caved in but he could see what looked like a desk that had been smashed by the weight of the debris in the corner, an empty bookshelf right beside it. It looked like it must have been some sort of home office, but what was odd was the pile of electronic bits that sat atop all of the mess.

“Dugan, I think we have a problem.”

“Yeah, Sarge? What is it?” Dugan asked, coming to stand beside Bucky in the doorway.

“You see that,” Bucky said, pointing at the electronic bits, “I think that was a radio. It’s above all the debris so it must have been freshly smashed.”

“He called for help.” Dugan answered.

Bucky could smell his bourbon scent spike and knew that the older alpha had come to the same realization as him. Both the men looked at each other with wide eyes before turning and running back the way they came to warn their team. Bucky was faster than Dugan, his long legs and muscles he didn’t even know he had propelling him faster than he expected as he slid around the corner of the brick wall, his hand going out underneath him to catch him if he fell. He didn’t fall, instead he gained speed as he ran right up to the group.

Whatever the hell that crazy Dr, Zola had injected him with was giving him what seemed like the same abilities as Steve. Bucky wondered for a moment if Zola was using the prisoners as test subjects to replicate the serum that had made Steve become a supersoldier. It seemed like the only possible explanation.

Speeding up seemed to be easier than slowing down and Bucky found himself sliding in the dirt, trying to gain his balance. He only managed to stop when he slid right into Steve, knocking the surprised Alpha to the ground and falling down on top of him. 

The world really seemed to freeze this time as their eyes connected. Bucky’s mind went blank at the sight of those ocean blue eyes so close, the only thought in his mind was how close their lips were. If he moved forward just another inch, he could feel those plush lips against his own. Steve’s scent spiked again, the scent of his arousal becoming known. From this close Bucky realized that Steve sandalwood scent had a jasmine undertone when the alpha got aroused. He couldn’t pinpoint the previous times that he had smelled it, but at this close proximity it was almost impossible to miss.

Bucky took a slow breath in through his nose, letting the scent wash over him. His own scent battled to overwhelm it, taking on a sweeter note as he too felt his arousal grow once again. 

Steve’s nostrils flared slightly and Bucky realized it was an action that he had previously thought was borne of anger, but now realized was actually a sign of the alpha’s arousal. It was a sign that Steve was actually breathing in Bucky’s scent and not holding his breath, something Bucky had come to notice he did often to avoid catching Bucky’s scent in the air.

Somebody clearing their throat drew Steve’s attention and Bucky followed the alpha’s eyes for as long as he could as the man turned his head to give whoever had done it his attention. He didn’t try to move Bucky off him though and Bucky realized the alpha’s hands were pressed so tightly to the pavement beside his own body that they were white at the joints from the pressure.

“When you’re done cuddlin’ we’ve got a problem that needs to be addressed.” Dugan said, his tone teasing and scolding at the same time. Bucky had no idea how that was possible.

“Sorry, I lost my footin’.” Bucky gulped, shoving himself up off of Steve and standing up, “Dugan and I found a smashed radio. We think the hydra soldier called for help before trying to shoot you, Cap. They could be here any moment. We gotta get the hell out of here.”

Steve stood as well, nodding his head. “You’re sure it was a radio?” 

“Yeah, Cap.” Bucky rolled his eyes, “I’m absolutely sure it was a radio.”

“It looked just like all the pieces to a radio, Cap.” Dugan said, backing Bucky up.

Steve paused for a moment, his brow furrowing in thought as he looked towards the direction they had entered the village and the direction they needed to go out of it. Bucky could almost see the gears turning in his head as he thought about the best plan of action.

“Look, I know I’m not a master strategist or anything, but I’m guessing they are starting to suspect where our next targets are. I say we go back to home base, regroup then come back out.” Bucky tried.

“We’re close to the next base. We need to take it out first.” Steve said, turning to face the direction they were planning to go before.

“The Sergeant is right. We do not want to become too predictable, Captain.” Falsworth added.

Steve didn’t look convinced. Bucky knew it would be hard to convince him. They’d already come so far and Steve was hell bent on taking down Hydra and ending this war as quick as possible. The man took the weight of the world on his shoulders and panicked whenever it seemed like he wouldn’t be able to hold it. Bucky wanted to take some of that weight from him. He wanted to help him.

“Besides, I’m running low on suppressants and only have enough to make it back. Stark says if I miss even one dose, my body will try to make up for the heats I’ve missed.” Bucky sighed, “I really don’t want to know what nine missed monthly heats are gonna do to my body. The usual one lasts a week. This one might last a lot longer and I’ll be no good to you out of commission like that.”

A red hue made its way across Steve’s face and down his neck into his uniform. Bucky knew he had him then, Steve’s aroused scent that had been fading spiked again. Bucky fought a smirk. It was the last thing Steve needed was to know that Bucky could smell it on him. 

Maybe this heightened senses thing won’t be so bad as long as he can keep it hidden from everyone so he doesn’t get discharged or turned into another lab rat.

“Alright. Let’s head back.” Steve said, avoiding looking at Bucky as he walks by.

That’s when Bucky sees it. The glint of sunlight of metal in the trees. They weren’t alone anymore. Hydra found them. There was no telling how many of them were around. Bucky watched as Steve walked into the range of his spotted sniper and moved before he could think about it.

A shot rang out as Bucky collided with Steve once again and they tumbled to the ground. Pain ripped through Bucky’s side as he hit the ground, an animalistic scream leaving his lips. He’d been shot. He’d taken a bullet for Steve. Shots rang out once again and Bucky could feel himself being lifted. His vision was blurry, but he could barely make out a crumbling brick wall.

“Bucky! Buck!” Stave yelled. Bucky could feel his hands hold Bucky’s head, trying to get him to focus. In the background, Morita was yelling and Bucky’s shirt was being tugged. “Why the hell did you do that? I could have handled it!” Steve panicked.

Black spots filled his vision, his head feeling like he was underwater. Steve’s voice was muffled. It was almost like he had cotton shoved in his ears. 

“I-It’s fine, S-steve. I’ll be f-fine.” Bucky promised. 

Another sting went through his side as something was applied to his wound and Bucky let out a whimper, his hands flying up to clutch the alpha’s hands. The pain was too much to bear. It wracked his whole body from its place in his side. It sent shockwaves throughout his body. Wherever wasn’t enveloped in pain felt heavy and Bucky blinked, trying to fight the pull to go to sleep. He was afraid that if he did he wouldn’t wake up again.

“Stevie, I’m tired.” Bucky sighed. Everything felt so hazy and heavy. The world faded in and out as he struggled to keep his eyes open. It felt like he was a pup, battling sleep at bedtime. Only he wasn’t a pup and the pain in his side was increasing steadily.

“Don’t close your eyes, Buck. You gotta stay awake.”

“I-I’m just g-gonna nap, ok-kay? I’ll b-be okay when I-I wake up.” Bucky promised.

“No! Bucky, don’t go to sleep! Buck!” Steve yelled and it was the last thing Bucky heard before darkness consumed him.

* * *

_ “You didn’t present yet?” Matthew asked from his place beside Bucky outside their Catholic High School as they waited for their younger siblings to be released. _

_ “Nah. Ma says our family is full of late bloomers. Pop didn’t present until he was 18 and Ma didn’t present until she was 19. I’ll probably present then.” Bucky shrugged at his friend. _

_ Mathew hummed, “That’s awful. Ya got no idea how good these omegas smell and you won’t until you're 18. Now that I’ve caught their scents, I wouldn’t like to be you.” _

_ Bucky only shrugged. It was hard to miss something he’d never had. Besides, he wasn’t all that into most of the people who had presented as omegas this summer. There was only one person Bucky was into and the boy had presented as an alpha. Bucky scanned the crowd of teenagers that had also just exited the school looking for the alpha in question and felt a rush when his eyes landed on the boy’s slim boney figure. _

_ Steven Grant Rogers was a skinny 90 pound kid with enough passion to fill a baseball field. He walked down the sidewalk while flipping through a small beaten up sketch book, his nose tucked so far into it that it was a miracle he didn’t trip and fall. _

_ Bucky’s heart clenched a little at the sight of the alpha he had had a crush on since junior high and his mother had forbade him from going anywhere near. Most people in their Brooklyn neighborhood saw Steve as a menace or a troublemaker, Bucky’s mother included. He’d heard too many stories of Steve getting into a fight or walking down the street with his face all black and blue, each and every one of them ending with Bucky’s mother sighing and saying ‘Sometimes I feel bad for poor Sarah Rogers, having to raise such a troublemaking pup all on her own without her mate’. He’d wanted to tell his mother that Steve wasn’t the troublemaker, that Steve would only jump in if somebody else was being bullied or if he felt like what someone was doing was wrong, but knew better than to object.  _

_ Sometimes, when Bucky would hear about Steve’s fights, he’d wish that he were there and able to help the smaller boy. He wished that he could also stand up when he saw injustice, that he wasn’t so nervous of disobeying his mother and disappointing her. He wondered how Steve would react. Would he get mad at him? Tell him that he could handle it and he didn’t need a late bloomer fighting his battles? No, Bucky knew he wouldn’t do that. He’d probably be annoyed, insistent that he could handle it himself, but he’d never be rude. _

_ “Bucky! I’m ready to go!” Becca said, standing beside him. _

_ Bucky got to his feet before waving goodbye to Matthew, who was still waiting on his younger brother, and proceeded to the sidewalk, turning the same direction Steve was walking up ahead. He quickened his pace slightly until they were only ten feet behind him, then he slowed down so as to not draw the alpha’s attention. _

_ “Oh jeez, Bucky. This again?” Becca huffed, but Bucky could see the teasing glint in her eye, “Just go talk to him already!” _

_ “I can’t.” _

_ “Why? ‘Cause Ma said not to? You’re 17, Buck, you can make your own decisions.” _

_ “Ma would whoop me for it and you know it.” Bucky huffed, “You’d also be the one to tell her that I disobeyed.” _

_ “Me? Never!” Becca said, faking a scandalized expression, “You’ve had a crush on that scrawny kid for years, Buck. I still don’t see what it is you like so much. He looks like he’d break if you so much as blew on him.” _

_ “He won’t though. He’s stronger than he looks.” _

_ Becca sighed, “Lord help you if you present as an alpha. You’d have to give up on that one.” _

_ “If?” Bucky asked, raising his left eyebrow in curiosity. _

_ “Yeah, if. Ma and Pop may be convinced you’ll be an alpha, but with how much you trail after Rogers, I wouldn’t be surprised if you’re an omega.” _

_ “When’d you get so smart, kid?” Bucky asked with a laugh. _

_ “Right about when you became an idiot.” _

_ Bucky rolled his eyes, messing up her hair with his hand. They were still behind Steve, but the alpha didn’t seem to notice or hear any of their conversation. Bucky vaguely remembered something about one of the times Steve had missed church because he had gotten sick and Sarah Rogers was talking to his ma about how Steve’s hearing had been damaged. He’d gotten in trouble that night for begging his mom to be the one to take food over to them as a get well gift. His mother was never above being a friendly neighbor, but she never let Bucky deliver to the Rogers house. Even if she felt bad for the boy, she still didn’t want Bucky to become friends with him. _

_ He figured Steve was lonely. The entire neighborhood treated him like some kind of plague carrier or delinquent. It was upsetting to Bucky that society could be so rude to someone who was clearly a good person.  _

_ Becca never would know why Bucky liked the skinny kid that was Steve Rogers. It was a story he’d keep close to himself, something even Steve probably wouldn’t remember but Bucky had held close to his heart since that day in first grade. _

_ Bucky and his family had just moved to Brooklyn, Becca was no older than four, and his first day at school. He was the new kid and some older kids thought it would be funny to push him around a bit. They had him shoved against the wall when one of them was hit with a rock. The group of bullies parted and behind them was the smallest, tiniest kindergartners that Bucky had ever seen. _

_ Steve had saved him that day, taking Bucky’s place in the beating he was sure to receive. Bucky had tried to help, but the kids were too strong so he ran for the teacher. Steve and the group of boys had all gotten punished for it and Bucky never got a chance to thank him. When he got home his mother had been talking to one of the wives in the building and she’d told him he was to stay away from Steven Grant Rogers. _

_ Bucky did as he was told, but whenever he came across Steve getting beaten on the playground or in an alley, he always ran for help. He figured that was the reason the stubborn boy hadn’t been beaten to death yet. _

_ “Come on. Ma’s gonna expect us at home soon.” Bucky told Becca. He couldn’t help bumping into Steve’s shoulder gently as they passed him. “Sorry.” Bucky apologized while not looking at his crush and continuing on. _

_ “Don’t mention it.” He heard the small alpha reply quietly. _

_ When Bucky chanced a look back, the boy still had his face shoved in the book. He could see Becca roll her eyes out of the corner of his eye before she grabbed his arm and yanked him across the street towards their home.  _

* * *

Bucky could vaguely hear the sound of nurses bustling around nearby. The feeling of a warm hand rested on his right forearm. The scent in the air told him it was Steve, but the usual sandalwood seemed sour, something that Bucky had come to realize meant Steve was worried. Bucky wanted to open his eyes, he wanted to move his arm and grab Steve’s hand to calm the worried alpha, but everything felt so heavy. It felt like he’d jumped into a lake while covered in heavy winter gear, the fabrics soaking up the water and dragging him down to the murky depths. He couldn’t swim up, he was just too heavy.

The sound muffled again and Bucky felt it fade away once again.

* * *

When he woke again he still couldn’t open his eyes. His body was still heavy, but the sinking feeling was gone. Now he felt like he was floating, like his body was heavy but at the same time weightless. 

“We’ve given him another dose of morphine, but it looks like he’ll pull through. He’ll be fine, boys.” A femine voice said. Bucky couldn’t recognize it.

“Thanks, Ma’am.” That was Dugan. Bucky recognized him.

“You hear that, Cap?” Gabe asked, “He’s gonna be just fine.”

There was no reply. The weight on his arm was gone now, but he could still smell the sour sandalwood scent. It was like Steve had rubbed the scent over the entire room. It was so strong Bucky felt like he’d choke on it if he had the ability to breath a solid breath in. The worry in the air was suffocating.

The weightless feeling subsided once more and Bucky felt himself being pulled back to sleep.

* * *

The last time Bucky woke, he did it with a painful cough. His throat and mouth felt dry, like he hadn’t had a glass of water for years. Even his eyes felt dry, but they were no longer heavy. He opened them slowly, taking in the room around him.

He was on a cot in a white medical tent, only it wasn’t the mass medical tent that he had seen before. It was way to clean and he was the only injured man inside so he suspected it was an officer’s med tent. A metal rod that looked a lot like a coat rack was to his left only instead of coats it held a bag of yellow-ish fluid, a small hollow tube ran down to a needle that was in Bucky’s left arm. To his right was Agent Carter, sitting just like she had when he’d woken from his heat, her face tucked into a book. Just passed her, Bucky could see Steve curled up as small as he could in a chair, sleeping with his head rested on his knees.

“Welcome back to the land of the living, Sergeant Barnes.” Peggy said, setting her book face down with spine stretched over the knee of her crossed legs.

Bucky tried to talk, but instead let out a muffled cough. 

Peggy reached over to a small table that Bucky hadn’t noticed before and handed him a half full cup of water. “It was Steve’s but I’m sure he would not mind if you drank it.”

Bucky nodded to her in thanks, taking the cup from her hands and trying to sip it. As soon as the lukewarm water hit his tongue though, he was chugging it like a man who had been trapped in a desert for three days. It rushed down his throat, landing like a rock in his empty stomach and causing nausea to flow through him.

“I should have mentioned that you should drink it slowly. I apologize.” Peggy said, her lips in a solid line and her eyes soft with pity, “Your stomach is most likely very sensitive currently. You’ve been out for four days. You were shot in the side and are very lucky no vital organs were hit. The nurses say it was a clean shot with an entry and exit wound. According to Morita, if you hadn’t have shoved Steve out of the way it most likely would have hit many of the Captain’s vital organs. You saved his life. You're lucky to be alive as well. If your attackers hadn't come with the truck, you would be. If you all traveled back on foot, you wouldn't have made it here in time.”

Bucky didn’t say anything. His eyes moved to look at the small curled up ball of Steve Rogers. The position he was in reminded him of the few times he caught Steve being beaten up in an alleyway, curled in a similar ball. Only the man sleeping in the chair wasn’t the scrawny kid his little sister liked to tease him about. No, now he was the man who had rescued Bucky. He knew who Bucky was now. Steve Rogers was sleeping at Bucky’s bedside… or at least near it.

“He hasn’t left since they brought you in here.” Peggy said, her head turning to look at Steve with a sad smile, “The rest of the team has been in and out. Dugan’s been bringing him his rations and Morita’s been coming by right after to force him to eat them. Falsworth has been taking care of his duties and Gabe and Dernier come to talk with him every now and then. I think this is the first time he’s slept since before you got shot. Phillips tried to get him to get out of the tent, but he refused. He won’t leave your side.”

Bucky looked away, pretending to be interested in the bag of yellow fluid. “He blames himself. He’d do the same for any of the other Howlies.”

It was quiet for a moment, the only sound being Bucky’s ragged breathing and Steve’s occasional sigh in his sleep. Bucky looked back at Peggy to make sure she hadn’t left, his eyes connecting with hers. She looked curious and in disbelief all at the same time. It would be a comical expression if Bucky could understand why she was making it.

“Do you honestly believe that?” Peggy asks, tilting her head at him.

“Of course.” Bucky said. If he could scoff without it being painful he was.

Peggy covered her mouth with one hand, silent giggles wracking her body. She seemed to find something incredibly funny and Bucky couldn’t quite tell what. It was his turn to tilt his head at her in curiosity, his body protested at the movement and he winced.

“Oh dear lord. How could you both be so oblivious?” Peggy huffed when she managed to control herself.

“I’m sorry?” Bucky asked, “I don’t understand what you mean by that.”

“Well isn’t it obvious that Steve is attracted to you? Are you so blind that you hadn’t noticed?”

Bucky furrowed his brow at the omega woman. He had no idea how that was so funny. Was she taking joy in the fact that Steve was attracted to him, yet wouldn’t act on it because of his courting of her? Was she gloating to him? A spike of anger went through him at the idea. If she had noticed why didn’t she tell Steve? Why didn’t she turn him down and allow him to pursue Bucky instead?

“I am well aware of his attraction to me. I can practically smell it on him. It’s not my fault that he won’t act on it because of you.” Bucky hissed, trying to keep his voice quiet so he wouldn’t wake Steve up.

“Because of me?”

“Yes, you. Because of his courting of you.”

“Courting of me?” Peggy reeled back a bit, her voice full of surprise. Her head swung to look between Bucky and the sleeping alpha, her eyebrows raised and eyes wide. It seemed like she was taking time to process the revelation. “I assure you that the Captain is not courting me. I have made it very clear that I am not interested in mating. Let alone the fact that I happen to like my alphas of the female variety.” Peggy scoffed, “Steven and I are simply friends. I have known him since he was a bony kid in basic training.” 

The anger drained from Bucky’s body as confusion took its place. If he wasn’t courting Peggy then what was his reason for not courting Bucky instead? It didn’t make any sense. Peggy was the only possible thing he could think of that would keep the alpha from acting on his attraction towards Bucky. Steve had been pretty clear, on late nights around the fire with the Howlies, that he didn’t have an omega waiting for him back home. None of this made sense.

“Is that why you dislike me so much? Because you thought the Captain and I were… involved?” Peggy asked, the curious glint back in her brown eyes.

Bucky couldn’t speak, instead only nodding. His face felt hot and the was no way in hell he wasn’t blushing the darkest shade of red.

Peggy laughed, “I assure you, Steve is in no way attracted to me, but I can not say the same for you. I know very well that he is attracted to you.”

“Then why hasn’t he acted on it?” Bucky asked, his eyes sliding back to look at Steve to make sure the alpha was still asleep.

Peggy smirked, “I hope you will not hold it against me when I tell you that I think you should ask him that. I, unfortunately, am enjoying this far too much to put an end to it this soon.”

Bucky’s jaw dropped at her confession, but he quickly snapped it shut. “So you’re saying I should confront him?”

Peggy shrugged, a mischievous glint filling her eyes. “That or you could go the route that is much more fun and test just how much will power the Captain has. See how long it takes him to crumble at your feet.”

Bucky laughed. “You could be ruthless when you want to, Agent Carter.”

“I am well aware of this. The question is, are we the same?”

“I’ve had a crush on Steven Grant Rogers since the first grade and never spoken to him until the day he saved me almost nine months ago. I’ve seen how stubborn he can be. I might be the one to crumble first.”

Peggy rolled her eyes, “You do what you will. I will not judge, but his resolve is warring pretty thin and it could be enjoyable to watch him squirm just a bit more. I’d be happy to help you if you want to hatch a plan.”

Bucky bit his lip. He knew he was in love with Steve. He knew before he even presented. He’d given his heart to Steve on that playground. These were all things Bucky knew, but a part of him wondered if he could make the alpha chase after him.  His instincts and hindbrain delighted in the idea of being chased. Why should he have to be the one to confess his feelings first? He wasn’t some omega in a cheesy romance movie that begged the alpha for his affection.  The curiosity of how long it would take Steve to crack got the better of him and he found himself matching Peggy’s devilish smile. “Agent Carter, I believe we could be great friends.”

“As do I, Sergeant Barnes.”

Peggy left shortly after their conversation, leaving Bucky to rest. Nurses came in and out of the room quietly to check his pulse, change his bandage, and administer more painkillers. The heavy feeling returned when the morphine kicked in and Bucky found himself being lulled back into a heavy, painless sleep.

* * *

Bucky woke to the sun lightning up the canvas of the med tent and flooding it with light. The Howlies sat in a circle over where Steve had slept earlier eating their rations and speaking in hushed voices. Steve had moved some time throughout the night and now sat in the chair that Peggy was in, his head was resting on Bucky’s cot and it seemed he had fallen back to sleep.

“I’m tellin’ ya, I’m kinda enjoyin' their whole ‘will they mate or won’t they mate’ thing. It gets funnier with every passing month.” Bucky could hear Morita saying to the rest of the team.

“Who’s mating who?” Bucky asked, his voice raw once again.

“Sarg!” Dugan’s voice cheered, not answering Bucky’s question at all.  The rest of the Howlies shushed him in unison. 

Falsworth shoving the man and pointing at Steve’s sleeping figure. “Do not wake him up. He needs his rest,” The British man scolded, but it was too late.

Steve let out a groan, turning his head and rubbing his face into the fabric sheet that acted as Bucky’s blanket before sitting up and blinking his eyes. His right hand came up to rub at them before he pushed his hand through his hair and let out a yawn. Bucky wanted to tell him that he was adorable when first waking up, but held it back.

“Sleep well, Sleepin’ Beauty?” Bucky joked.

Steve’s eyes widened in surprise, his hands dropping down to his sides. “Bucky! You’re awake! Do you feel alright? Do I need to go get a nurse? Are you in any pain?”

“Woah, calm down. I’m fine. This ain’t the first time I’ve woken up. I was awake yesterday while you were asleep, Peggy and I had a nice talk.” Bucky smiled.

“Je croyais que vous détestiez l'agent Carter.” Dernier said, looking at Bucky with confusion.

“He said he thought you hated Agent Carter.” Gabe translated, but it seemed he was curious as well.

“Not anymore. Actually, I think her and I are going to be great friends. We have some fun plans for when I get up and about again.”

Steve’s brows crinkled together in confusion. Bucky wondered if it was really that obvious that he had disliked the other omega so much. Had he done anything that would make it that blatantly obvious? He couldn’t think of anything.

“Alright then.” Dugan said, breaking the awkward silence, “How ya feeling, Sarg? You think you’ll be up and ready to go anytime soon?”

“My side smarts a little, but the nurses say I’ll be up and about in a week or so. I won’t be able to do any climbing or anything for another week after that, but I’ll be able to walk and shit.”

“We won’t be goin’ anywhere until you’re fit to fight again.” Steve told him, his tone commanding.

“Cap’s right, we do some dangerous things and you need to be in fighting shape if we’re gonna keep taking down Hydra.” Morita agreed, “You lost a lot of blood, Sarg.” 

Bucky nodded. Morita was their combat medic, if he thought it was a lot of blood then it was  _ a lot _ of blood. Bucky would trust that man’s judgement over anyone else’s. Even if the nurses said he was fit to fight again, he wouldn’t get back out there until Morita gave him his approval. “You got it. Anyone mind gettin’ me some water? And maybe somethin’ to eat? Sleepin’ four days really does leave a man starving.” 

“Yeah, Sarg. Sure thing.” Dugan said. Bucky didn’t miss how the man gave the rest of the pointed looks before exiting the tent and he wasn’t surprised to see everyone follow him, leaving Steve and Bucky alone. 

Steve and Bucky stared at each other in awkward silence, neither one sure what to say. Bucky didn’t know what to do. Should he ask if Steve was alright? It seemed like a stupid question with him being the one occupying a cot in the med tent. Should he ask about how they all got out of there alive? He was sure that there had to be more than just one shooter.

Bucky knew Steve had something he wanted to say. The alpha kept opening and closing his mouth, small huffs leaving him each time. It went out for a good minute or so before he stood from his chair and began to pace back and forth across the tent. His scent spiking, but not sour. Instead it was just stronger and that meant that the man was angry. 

Bucky wanted to stand up and calm him. He wanted to confess his love to Steve. Every caring thought he had about the man was at the tip of his tongue. He wanted to tell him how he felt and have Steve kiss him within an inch of his life. He almost did it too, his mischievous plans with Peggy being thrown out the window. He’d opened his mouth, but Steve spoke first.

“How the hell could you be so stupid, Buck?!”

Bucky froze, taken aback by the alpha’s words. Anger bubbled beneath his skin with every passing second. He’d thrown himself in front of a goddamn bullet for the stupid man and that was the thanks he got? Hell no!“Stupid?! Is that anyway to say ‘thank you’ to the person who saved your goddamn life, asshole?”

“I would have been fine, Buck. I woulda healed. You could have died!”

The anger grew steadily. Did Steve think he was some kind of god that could never die? Did he really think he was that indestructible? Bucky had been feeling a little guilty for his plans with Peggy, but now he felt justified. Now, he wanted to show the stubborn knothead that he wasn’t invincible, that he was going to cave. He wanted to prove to Steve that he couldn’t always get his way. 

"Would have been fine?! The nurses said that if I hadn’t shoved you out of the way the bullet could have killed you and you say you’d be fine?!” Bucky yelled. His voice was getting louder now, cracking occasionally due to his dry throat, and his own scent taking on the strong hint of anger. 

“I’m a supersoldier, Bucky! I can heal faster!”

“That doesn’t mean you can’t fucking die you idiot!” 

“I’m supposed to keep you safe! I’m supposed to keep you all safe! What does it say about me as a leader if one of my men dies?! What does it say about me as an alpha if that man is an omega?!”

The anger gave way to rage now, Bucky’s entire scent becoming hostile. “I’m not some fuckin’ weak omega, Steven Grant Rogers! I am a Sergeant! I am your second in command! I am not some fuckin’ helpless creature who can’t defend themself! Some goddamn Damsel in Distress who needs a big strong alpha to save me! I thought you knew better than that!”

“I do! I know you’re not weak, Buck, but I can’t help but protect you! My instincts won’t let me stand by and let you get hurt!” 

“Well, you better reign those fuckin’ instincts in because I’m not your omega and I’m not something that needs to be protected! I can take care of myself! You saved me once, it was my turn to save you!”

They stared at each other fuming, neither one of them willing to back down. Bucky’s instincts screamed at him to bare his neck and submit, but Bucky wouldn’t give in. Everyone had animal-like instincts that came with their designation, but Bucky knew better than anyone that if a person really wanted to they could push them away. They weren’t animals, they were civilized human beings. Their designations didn’t determine their place in the world, they only determine who could carry a child. Bucky may be in the childbearing third of the population, but he wasn’t weak.

Bucky took a deep breath. “So you can either thank me for saving your life or you can keep your mouth shut and get the hell out.” He watched as Steve’s jaw clenched and unclenched before he turned and stormed out of the tent. Bucky watched him go, catching the Howlies paused with wide eyes in the doorway. “Give me the fuckin’ water.” He growled.

Dugan rushed forward to obey as Morita and Falsworth took off after their angry Captain. Gabe and Dernier stayed in the doorway speaking in hushed French before walking away. Dugan didn’t say anything as he handed the cup of water to Bucky and set his rations on the small table before rushing out of the tent, leaving Bucky alone to stew in his anger.

He knew Steve cared about him, Peggy had told him as much, but that gave Steve no right to act like Bucky was someone weak. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Reason for Chapter title: Took a bullet for Steve and ended up getting into a fight with him. He tried to do something good and got fucked up instead.
> 
> 1) Bucky has had a crush on Steve for years!  
> 2) I know I said they were on mission for six months, but before you go 'Then they couldn't have made it back to base that fast after Bucky was shot': they were honestly not far from camp. Steve had been doing a pattern of advancing forward then doubling back and - in my head at least - Phillips would move base camp into new territory that the Howlies had claimed for the Allies, so it honestly didn’t take them long to get back to base if the Howlies stole a truck.  
> 3) I can’t remember where I saw the theory, but someone had a theory that since Bucky was injected with the serum but didn’t receive the vita-rays that Steve did, his body slowly developed supersoldier abilities. Currently he only has heightened sense of sight and smell as well stronger legs. As the book progresses he will gain more strength and the rest of his senses will heighten, including him gaining the sped up healing factor that he does not currently have during this chapter.  
> 4) Bucky is pissed and is now going to make Steve pay for being a knotheaded alpha with a shit ton of teasin’ and maybe some grumpy passive aggressive comments.  
> 5) Peggy and Bucky becoming partners in crime is literally one of my favorite things.
> 
> Kudos, Comment (even if it’s literally just an emoji (some feedback is better than no feedback)), Share! Just so that way I can get that little boost of Serotonin I desperately need and keep my motivation to continue. But it ain’t like I got a gun to your head so you don’t gotta is you don’t wanna.


	5. I Don't Know Why

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Stevie is angry. :(

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hai!!!
> 
> Now before you get your pitchforks and murder me, I'M SORRY IT'S BEEN SO LONG! I've been working on.... other things. I'm in the Shrunkyclunks (Cap!Steve/Modern!Bucky) Bang and I can't tell y'all what I'm writing but It's gonna be awesome! We're still looking for Artists so if y'all wanna join (or know anyone who would) we'd appreciate it! I'm super excited for it!
> 
> So I managed to write this up for you guys! It's only 4.3K which I know is small for me but I promise that the next chapter will be longer! I hope you all like it! 
> 
> I love you all and thank you so much for reading!!!

Men scrambled to get out of Steve’s way as he stomped his way through the camp. Every muscle in his body was tense, his fists clenched tight by his side and his jaw locked tightly. He wanted to hit something. He wanted to scream. Every nerve in his body was alight with rage.    
  
He knew he shouldn’t have taken it out on Bucky. He wasn’t mad at the omega. He was mad at himself. He should have seen the sniper, should have known he was there. Dugan and Bucky both had told him that someone was coming. They’d both told him that the scout had called for help, but his stubbornness and anger towards what Hydra had done to Bucky had clouded his judgment. If he hadn’t stopped to think about turning around instead of just listening to Bucky, then they would have made it out before those Hydra soldiers showed up, and Bucky wouldn’t have gotten shot.

It was all his fault. He wasn’t good enough. He wasn’t a good enough leader. He wasn’t a good enough alpha. He couldn’t help but think that everyone was right, nature had gotten it wrong. That he shouldn’t be an alpha at all. Even with the serum, he couldn’t protect the one thing his whole body screamed at him to defend, Bucky. 

He knew the man wasn’t weak, that the omega could protect and defend himself, but that didn’t change the fact that every instinct he had demanded that he do everything in his power to make sure Bucky was happy and healthy. He knew Bucky was right, he wasn’t his omega, but every piece of his mind, body, and soul insisted that Bucky was his. It insisted that Steve couldn’t live without the man. Nothing else mattered to him but Bucky’s safety. Bucky deserved the world and Steve knew that no matter how hard he tried, he would probably never be good enough. He knew that Bucky deserved better than him.

Steve had somehow made it to the outskirts of the base, his anger-filled walk leading him there without him even knowing it. The area was empty with only a few basic soldier tents set up around him. There was no noise coming from them, so Steve figured they were empty. He screamed, kicking a bucket that sat beside a wood chopping block. The bucket soared up into the air, coming down with a large crash. Steve didn’t look to see how damaged it was, instead continuing on until he was off the base completely and right at the tree line.   
  


He didn’t enter the woods, knowing that that would be an awful idea in a war-zone, instead sinking down to sit at the base of one of the nearby trees. Steve let out a loud huff, sliding his hands into his hair and gripping at the dirty blonde strands with tight fists. 

His mind ran rampant with the voices of strangers, all of them telling him he wasn’t good enough. They screamed that he hadn’t been meant to be an alpha. That he was too skinny, too weak. He’d never be able to protect an omega, no matter how hard he fought. But, he had never given up. He had changed his body and always stood up for those who could not fight for themselves. Yet, no matter how hard he tried, it seemed like he was useless.

Sitting there in the dirt, Steve couldn’t help but think of how he had held Bucky in his arms as Morita tried to stop his bleeding. He thought of the metallic scent of blood that overtook the sweet scent of cinnamon bread that Steve had tried so hard to avoid. But now, all he wanted was to suffocate in that sweet scent once again. He’d never take it for granted ever again. He’d rather die of blue balls than ever have to smell that disgusting, rusty smell that came with Bucky’s blood.

“Cap?” Morita’s voice called, breaking Steve from his spiral of thoughts.

He looked up to see both Morita and Falsworth standing not far away from his spot at the base of the trees. They paused a good distance away, a look of cautious concern on their faces. “I’m fine. I just…” Steve let out a heavy sigh, “I just needed a moment.” 

“Are you sure, Captain?” Falsworth asked, the expression leaving neither his nor Morita’s faces.

Steve could understand why they were concerned. After Bucky had been shot, all he saw was red, and didn’t stop until he was covered in blood and every Hydra soldier had been killed. Even then, both Falsworth and Dugan had to hold him back from tearing their limp, lifeless bodies to pieces. Morita had said he had gone feral, but a part of Steve didn’t believe it. Steve had known exactly what he was doing. He’d felt every crunch of bone and every drop of blood paint his body. He had wanted them all dead. It was the first time he could ever remember feeling such strong hatred for anyone. When Bucky had passed out, all he could think about was destroying the thing that had caused his omega pain.

“I’m fine.” Steve repeated, this time with a sense of finality. He was fine. The rage boiling beneath his skin was not towards the outside world, but towards himself, and he could handle that. He wasn’t going to hurt anyone.

“Hey, we’re not tryin’ to say you aren’t. We’re just sayin’ you can talk to us if you need to.” Morita said, raising his hands in surrender.

“We understand you are angry but, with all due respect sir, Bucky did not deserve that. Especially when he’s just woken up from taking a bullet for you.” Flasworth chastised.

“I know!” Steve shouted. He instantly felt guilty. He kept directing his anger at people who didn’t deserve it. They didn’t deserve to have him screaming at them when they were just trying to help him. “I know,” he said softly, “I know he doesn’t deserve it. I’m not even angry at him. I am angry with myself. I should’ve been more vigilant. I should’ve seen the sniper. It shouldn’t have happened at all. He… he got shot because I failed.”

Morita and Falsworth’s faces softened with his every word, but that was the opposite reaction of what he wanted. They should be telling him he’s right, he knew they were thinking it. They should speak their minds, tell him he was a bad leader and he didn’t deserve their loyalty.

“You’re wrong.” Morita huffed, “This is not your fault, Cap, and if it is then we are all to blame. Any one of us could have seen the sniper. Any one of us could have called it out. Barnes saw him so he wasn’t hiding so well that only your super-soldier eyes would’ve seen. If it’s your fault, then it’s mine too, and Falsworth’s and Gabe’s. It’s everyone’s fault then.”

“I’m supposed to protect him. I was made to protect you all.”

“The serum was not created for one man to hold the burden, Captain. You were not supposed to hold the weight on your shoulders alone. If Erskine hadn’t died, you would not be the only super soldier.” Falsworth told him.

“But I am the only one and it is my duty to defend you all. Isn’t that why you follow me?”

“That’s bullshit. We follow you because we trust you. We follow you because you entered enemy territory armed with nothing but a shield and pistol and unlocked the cages so we could save ourselves. We follow you because we respect you, not because you’re part of some science experiment.” Morita growled, “I follow you because you didn’t think twice about letting a Japanese man join your team. I follow you because you held no ill feelings against me or Gabe for the color of our skin. That is why I follow you, and that is why I’d take a bullet for you just like Sarg did.”

“He’s right. I follow you because I respect you, not because I think you’ll take all the damage in battle.” Falsworth agreed.

Steve heard their words, but none of them registered. The loop of strangers' voices repeating ‘you’re not good enough’ was too loud in his head. His chest felt tight and the world seemed to be closing in around him. Words that should have been comforting felt like a weight against his sternum. They followed him because they respected him, but respect could be lost. 

“His scent was gone.” Was the first thing that his brain could piece together and force out of his mouth, “His scent disappeared and was replaced with rust and metal. It was all I could smell. The scent of cinnamon had left the air and all that was left was sour metallic rust.”

Steve watched Morita and Falsworth take tentative steps forward, their annoyance giving way to concern once again. He wasn’t a threat. He didn’t want to hurt anyone. His chest felt hollow and his body felt heavy. It was like the world was collapsing around him. 

“Hey, Cap. Just breath okay.” Morita said. He was beside Steve now. When had he moved? When had he gotten closer? “You just have to breathe. In and out, Cap.”

“Sergeant Barnes is fine.” Falsworth added.

Was Steve that transparent? Could they see how much Bucky meant to him? Dugan had suspected. Was everyone else aware of it too? Did Dugan tell them? 

He didn’t like the look of utter pity on the faces of his teammates. He was their Captain, their leader, and he wasn’t supposed to let them see him crumble like this. Although, it seemed, whenever Bucky was involved Steve never did what he was supposed to do. All he wanted to do was run back through the camp, fall to his knees and beg Bucky to forgive his behavior. It was scary how much of Steve the omega had wrapped around his finger. Steve would take down armies, kingdoms, and countries for Bucky Barnes and the omega didn’t even know it. 

“I just… I can’t lose him.” Steve’s anxiety-riddled brain forced him to say. He wanted to take it back. He wanted to take it back not because he didn’t mean it, but because they didn’t need to know that. They didn’t need to know how much Steve was in love with Sergeant James Buchanan Barnes. Love. Steve wasn’t sure if he admitted the word to himself yet. He knew he was infatuated and completely falling for Bucky, but he didn’t know if he’d ever actually called it love before. He knew that’s what this feeling was. It was love.

“We know, Cap.” Morita sighed, “We know.”

  
  


* * *

Steve sat at the tree with Morita and Falsworth for what seemed like hours, slowly regaining his breath and the tightening feeling loosening from his chest. When the anger had subsided and given way to self loathing, Steve was able to get up from the tree and fake a smile. He was fine with self loathing, the only familiar feeling about the whole situation.

He bid Morita and Falsworth goodnight from there. The sun had long sunk below the horizon and he was sure they were ready for sleep after dealing with him. The walk back to his tent was quiet, but Steve’s thoughts were still very loud inside his head. He needed to apologize. He needed to ask Bucky to forgive him for yelling at him. He needed to make sure Bucky knew that Steve was thankful Bucky had saved him, even if he hated the fact that the omega had gotten hurt. Bucky needed to know that Steve did think him capable of protecting and defending himself.

When he finally arrived back at his tent, he entered to find two brown paper bags on the desk and Peggy Carter sitting in the chair. He felt her eyes on him as he shed his jacket and moved to pick up one of the paper bags, her expression remaining calm and calculated. Steve took a seat on his cot and began opening the bag.

“For being such a caring person, you can be a real knothead, Steven,” Peggy finally said, breaking the silence. Steve couldn’t help but notice that she’d waited until his mouth was full of food before speaking. “The man takes a bullet for you and you yell at him. I know you adore him, that you wish to make him your omega, but this is  _ not _ the way to do it. This will only succeed in pushing him farther away.”   
  


Steve swallowed the food before speaking. “I know, Pegs.”

“Then why in god’s name would you yell at him? I just do not understand.”

“I was angry. I was angry with myself for not being able to protect him. He got hurt because of me.”   
  


“He threw himself in front of that bullet, Steven. He got hurt because of himself. He knew full well what he was doing when he shoved you out of the way.”   
  
“I didn’t see the sniper, Peggy. I didn’t see him. Bucky saw him, but my stupid superhuman eye sight missed him. It’s my fault. If I had seen him, Bucky wouldn’t be lying in that hospital bad right now. If I’d seen him, I wouldn’t still have the lingering scent of Bucky’s blood in my nose. Bucky would be fine,” Steve argued.

“Steven Grant Rogers, you may have the super-serum running through your veins, but you are still human. You can still make mistakes. You can still miss things. You can still die.” Peggy huffed, “Even with your serum, that bullet would have killed you. You are lucky Bucky saw him - that he managed to shove you out of the way and sustain minimal damage. This is in no way your fault.” 

“But it is.”

“I may need to have the nurses run more tests on you, because it seems that the serum has changed your body but is rotting your brain.”

“You don’t understand, Pegs. You don’t understand this aching feeling. I couldn’t protect him. I couldn't keep him safe. All of my instincts are screaming at me, telling me I’m no good. If I can’t protect…” Steve trailed off. He couldn’t call Bucky his omega, even if every part of his body screamed that he was. Bucky didn’t want that. He’d made it abundantly clear during their screaming match. Steve moved the rations off his lap and set them on the crate by his bedside. He wasn’t hungry anymore.

Peggy seemed to know where Steve was going with it even though he didn’t say the words and her expression softened. She stood from the desk chair, moving to sit beside Steve on his cot, and placed a hand on his shoulder. “Why are you fighting it so hard, Steve? Why won’t you just tell Bucky how you feel?”

“He deserves better, Pegs.” Steve placed his head in his hands and leaned his elbows against his knees, “He deserves someone who can take care of him. He deserves someone who can give him the world. I got nothing, Peggy. I have nothing to offer him.”

“You have love.”   
  
“Love isn’t enough, Pegs. Besides, he doesn’t even want me.”

“How can you be so sure?”

“Because he’s strong willed and accomplished. He doesn’t need an alpha holding him back. You know what will happen if we mate. He’d need my permission for everything, from staying in the army that he had fought so hard to join, to getting an apartment. He’d never want that.”

“Would you not give your permission?” Peggy questioned.

“Of course I would! I’d never take this away from him. I’d never be the one to take away everything he worked so hard for. I could never do that to him.”   
  


“Then I do not see the problem, Steven.”

“I just, I couldn’t take that freedom away from him.”

Peggy sighed, patting his arm a few times before getting up from her spot beside him. She moved to pick up the novel that Steve hadn’t noticed sitting on the corner of the desk and ran her finger along the battered and abused spine, before turning back towards him slowly. “Steve,” She sighed. “Just apologize to him, at least. If you won’t tell him why you're angry, at least ask for his forgiveness. The last thing you need is for your second in command to want to hit you whenever he sees you and after speaking to him, that is exactly what he wants to do right now.”

She ended it there, making her way out of the tent. Steve took in a deep, shaky breath, standing up from his cot and moving the rations from his bedside to the desk before circling back to the cot once more and lying down. He stared at the canvas ceiling of the tent for a while, the same self deprecating thoughts circling his mind, until finally, sleep overcame him.

* * *

Steve didn’t go near the medical tent for the next few days, instead busying himself with as many meaningless tasks as he could to keep his mind occupied. He wanted to let Bucky calm down before approaching him again. The last thing he needed was to apologize and have the omega hit him. He might deserve it, but Bucky didn’t need a broken fist on top of all his other injuries.

It wasn’t until four days later that Steve saw Bucky again. Steve knew the nurses had given Bucky the go ahead to leave the medical tent - Peggy had told him - since he was no longer in need of painkillers or medicine and telling the omega to come back twice a day so they could change his bandages, but it was still a shock to enter the mess hall and find the man sitting with the rest of the Howlies. They all seemed to be in a good mood, but Steve feared that he might ruin it. 

He froze just out of site, staring at Bucky’s smiling face. The omega looked so beautiful with a smile of his face and Steve was reluctant to have it be removed by his presence. His hands tightened slightly around the paper bags that held his dinner rations. Dugan made eye contact with him, waving him over, and Steve saw Bucky’s smile falter slightly. Steve had known it would.

He followed the direction, making his way over to the small table and taking his seat. The table had grown silent, the team's eyes shifting between Steve and Bucky.

“Captain Rogers.” Bucky nodded, and it was like a knife in Steve’s chest. He knew Bucky would still be mad at him, but he didn’t think that their relationship had back tracked so far. He expected Bucky to at least call him Cap like the rest of the men.

“Sergeant Barnes.” Steve replied, forcing his voice to remain level and not let his suffocating emotions show.

The table stayed quiet and the team seemed to shift uncomfortably in their seats. Steve and Bucky stared at each other with blank expressions. It felt like Bucky was challenging him, like the omega was daring Steve to do something that would only feed the flames of the man’s anger. Instead, Steve dropped his eyes to his food and began to open the package. Despite his stubbornness, Steve was willing to admit when he was in the wrong. 

“Anyway, we were just talkin’ about one of the nurses. Sarg here got pretty chummy with one of ‘em over his short stay.” Dugan sighed.

A spike of jealousy bolted through Steve’s body, but he forced himself to not let his head shoot up in accusation. They hadn’t said she was an alpha and Bucky had the right to make friends. Steve didn’t have any claim over the man.

“I didn’t get chummy with Jessica, we talked for about twenty minutes while she changed my bandages. All I know is that she’s from Chicago, she’s a beta, and she was a seamstress before she volunteered for the war effort.” Bucky shrugged.

“A seamstress?” Gabe asked, his head tilting slightly in confusion, “How is she a nurse then?”

“Steady with a needle, and they need more nurses so they gave her the basic training and sent her our way.”

“Why would she volunteer for this shit show?” Morita sighed.

“She said she was followin’ the man she was gonna mate. He died before she got here though.”

The table went quiet again. The understanding and sympathy for the woman settled in the air around them. There were plenty of stories just like Jessica’s, women who followed their lovers overseas by joining the war effort, only to lose them all too soon, but the women kept on. They kept fighting and tried to help as much as they could.

The quiet lasted until everyone had finished their rations and Morita pulled out his deck of cards, dealing everyone in for a game of poker. Each of the men pulled out their cigarette rations,except for Dernier who never played because he ‘didn’t like the awful cigarettes that the Americans provided’ - at least according to Gabe’s translation - and only smoked the ones that Stark had brought him from France. 

The game went on for about an hour before both Falsworth and Dugan had run out of cigarettes. Morita joked that Dernier was helping Gabe cheat since he was winning but the two only laughed. Steve took his winnings and split them evenly between the two men since he never smoked any of them anyway. Both men thanked him, putting them away. The tema began to disperse then, heading off to the showers or to sleep and leaving Bucky and Steve alone at the table while Bucky packaged up his winnings.

“Bucky?” Steve asked, trying to gain the man’s attention.

Bucky made an affirming noise but did not lift his head from his counting. Steve wasn’t sure if it was because the man was focused or because he was still angry. 

“Buck, Thank you for taking that bullet for me.”

Bucky looked up from his counting, his eyebrows raised and lips pursed slightly. “What?”

“Thank you. I shouldn’t have yelled at you and I am sorry. I should have thanked you the moment you woke up.”

“Yeah,” Bucky said, his tone slightly harsh, “You should’ve.”

“I know you can take care of yourself and I know you are capable. I wasn’t mad at you. I was mad at myself.”

Bucky stared at him with an expectant expression, his head tilted slightly. There was so much Steve had to say, so much he wanted to let tumble out of his mouth, but he couldn’t. He couldn’t tell Bucky that his instincts were convinced the omega belonged to him. He couldn’t tell him that he was absolutely and completely in love with him. Bucky couldn’t know any of it.

“I shouldn’t have taken it out on you. I’m supposed to be a leader and keep you all safe out there. One wrong decision could get any of you killed and it would be all my fault. This is all my fault. I should’ve seen that sniper.”

“Steve, I told you this before. You can’t save everyone. You can’t take every injury onto your own shoulders like that. We’re a team. You may be our leader, but you’re still one of us. You have our backs and we have yours.”

“It’s the second time I’ve missed a sniper, Buck.” 

“And you’ll probably miss another one before this hell of a war ends. You’re human, Steve. I don’t care what they pumped into your blood, you’re still human. You still make mistakes and you could still get hurt.”

Steve let out a lifeless chuckle, “You been talking to Peggy, haven’t you?”

“She kept me company while I was laid up in that stupid bed, yes,” Bucky nodded with a small smirk. 

Steve didn’t know what to make of that expression. He knew Peggy wouldn’t tell Bucky about how he felt - at least Steve hoped she wouldn’t - so he couldn’t understand why Bucky was smirking. “I feel like I should be afraid of you two getting along.” 

“Maybe.” Bucky said. “Maybe not.”

“Yep, definitely afraid.” Steve sighed.

“Well at least we know you’re afraid of something.” Bucky laughed. Steve watched as the man swiped his cigarette winnings into his hand and put them away - he seemed to have given up on counting them.

“I’m afraid of lots of things, Buck.”  _ All of my fears are about losing you.  _ Steve kept that last part in his head. Bucky didn’t need the burden of knowing just how much Steve needed him by his side. He didn’t need to know just how much Steve craved Bucky’s presence. These thoughts would be his secret, a secret only he and Peggy would share.

Steve watched as Bucky stood up from his seat and smiled at him. “I accept your apology, Steve. I just really want you to remember that you’re a man, not a god. You don’t have to take the weight of the world on your shoulders. Let me and the rest of the team lighten the load.”

“So, we’re alright?”

“Yeah, Steve. We’re alright.” Bucky replied with a smile, “I’m gonna head off to bed now. Goodnight.” 

“Goodnight, Buck.” Steve smiled.

He watched the omega leave the mess hall and suddenly realized he was the only one left in the whole dining area. Time had passed so quickly, his mind so full of thoughts that he didn’t even notice that it was night once again. 

Steve got up from his seat, making his way out of the building and out into the cold night air. It took all of his restraint not to instinctively follow the omega, to tell him that he loved him. Instead, he turned in the opposite direction and headed for the officers’ tents. Hopefully, sleep would come easily. Bucky wasn’t mad at him anymore, but even with everything Bucky and Peggy had said, Steve still felt like he had failed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh, hello again!
> 
> So a quick few announcements:  
> 1) I have created an instagram update account where I will be posting snippet previews (sneak peaks) of each chapter before it is posted and my story will have updates on what I'm working on so that y'all can yell at me if you think it's been too long since I updated. It will also have announcements for when each chapter is posted! So make sure you check that out @alaskan_outsider_ao3 on instagram.  
> 2) There's also a tumblr at alaskan-outsider-ao3   
> 3) I opened a Stucky Discord Server!!! Another place to yell at me if you don't have instagram or Tumblr. Join Here
> 
> As always, please leave comments and Kudos and give me that boost of Serotonin!!!! Even if it's just emojis I love them all!!!


End file.
